The Stolen Heart
by Anime-2000
Summary: The Thief King, Bakura, is known as a criminal, a tomb raider. But after meeting him, the young apprentice of Priest Mahaado can't seem to get him out of her mind. Mana's infatuation may lead her into more trouble than she had anticipated. [Eventual MxM]
1. And it begins

The Stolen Heart

By Anime-2000

Hey, hey! Would you believe it? Anime-2000 started another fanfic!

Settings take place in the Memory Arc, ancient Egypt. Mana is the previous form of the Dark/Black Magician Girl, and Mahaado is the previous form of the Dark/Black Magician.

But anyway, I've decided to try out a new pairing, Bakura x Mana.The idea came to me after Mahaado's fight with Bakura. To simplify the settings in the story, we'll _pretend_ that Atemu and his priests did not first meet Bakura when he stormed into the throne room, dragging the dead mummy of Atemu's father by a rope from his latest raid.

Also, there will be some Mahaado x Mana later in the story because that's really my favorite pairing for Mana, and I can't help myself from writing it—Eheh..._most_ of my other fics are M x M… So no, readers of my 'Magic Trilogy', I swear I am not betraying DM x DMG. Or BM x BMG, if you're a Yu-Gi-Oh! purist. AndI plan on making this about five chapters long.

One more thing: This didn't load correctly the first time, so I had to reload it and fix a few things. If something doesn't look right, please tell me in a review!

Thank you for allowing to me explain all this stuff that you probably really don't care about! Enjoy!

* * *

It was a simple thing, really. There was nothing particularly special about it, nothing incredibly amazing to behold. But then again, that was what Mana loved about it, the sheer simplicity. As she sat cross-legged on her bed, she held the leather string that looped through the little hole near the top and watched the white heart swing back and forth like a pendulum. It was about as thick as a finger, made of alabaster, and if carefully examined, one would see that it was crudely carved. 

Well, she _did_ buy it at the bazaar for minimum price…

She grinned at the reminiscence of her argument with the merchant and put it around her neck. With an exaggerated sigh, she stretched her legs out and fell back onto her bed. _Mahaado's still not back from his meeting with the pharaoh and other five high priests yet,_ Mana thought, her eyelids drooping over the two dark blue orbs. Not that she had any doubt in her teacher, but she was concerned. _He'll be fine,_ Mana told herself. She yawned and rolled to her side and curled up into a ball. _But I hope nothing's happened…_

(-)

"Your majesty!" A guard burst into the chamber, panting as he knelt down before his king. "My Pharaoh," he gasped and looked up at the tri-colored haired ruler, "someone has broken into three of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. All the treasure was taken"

Pharaoh Atemu's eyes widened. "Was my father…"

"No, my king," the guard reassured him, "the former Pharaoh's tomb was not harmed in any way."

A young, blue-eyed priest with a tall headdress directed his attention to the priest standing at the right of Atemu. "Priest Mahaado, three crypts were defiled tonight! How could this thief get past the traps in all three of them?"

Mahaado looked down at the floor. "I do not know, Seto," he admitted and sighed. "But I suppose since those tombs were older, the security may not be quite as advanced as the... more recent ones. A tomb raider would have few difficulties navigating around the traps, perhaps avoiding them altogether."

"I beg your pardon, priests," the guard interrupted, "but this was no ordinary robber. He took down all of the guards single-handedly! And… and he also had this colossal monster—with it, he could pass through walls!"

Atemu faced the oldest priest with the golden eye, who wasstanding closest to the distressed guard. "Ka…?" he asked, and his question was received with a nod.

"He's coming."

All seven heads turned to the woman standing at the king's left.

"The thief is coming," the priestess, Isis, stated with a frown. "He _is_ powerful."

(-)

The loot was taken care of, the pharaoh was well warned of his abilities, and the night was still young.

_What to do now?_ Bakura asked himself as he rode his great ka across the dark sky. _I should've gone to the former pharaoh's tomb. It might have posed as a greater challenge. But then again, nothing—no tomb, no person—could stand up to the awesome power of Diabound._ He gazed at the full moon and smiled maliciously as the wind streaked past him, his white hair flying about. With large feathery wings, a muscular build, and a fearsome snake from the waist down, Diabound wascloseto a god.

He glanced down, his eyes attracted by the glimmering lights of the palace he was soaring over. Diabound slowed down. Bakura's smile broadened.

_Ah, maybe the King of Thieves should pay the King of Egypt a visit in person._

(-)

The seven holders of the Millennium Items were outside in the courtyard, awaiting the tomb robber's arrival.

At that moment, astrong gust of air blasted them from above. The Millennium Ring gleamed brightly from Mahaado's chest, signifying that a powerful shadow force was approaching.

A white monster dove downandsailed right above their heads, accompanied by a wild, maniacal laughter. They looked up to see the head of a snake hissing at them as the beast turned left and disappeared behind the palace.

"What was that all about?" Priest Karim exclaimed, gripping the Millennium Scales tightly.

"He's here," Seto stated flatly. "He's announced his arrival just to disappear." An annoyed growl escaped the young brunette as he snapped, "We don't have time to play Hide-and-Go-Seek with a scoundrel!"

"Pharaoh," Priest Shada said to Atemu, "Please go back inside the palace. We cannot risk any harm befalling you, my king."

Atemu just shook his head. "No, I won't let the six of you face this maniac alone. Besides, we have learned that he can go through walls. Nowhere is safe from him!" As soon as he said that, he froze, realizing the danger that everyone in the palace was in. _Mana!_ "Back inside!" he ordered and raced back to the main entrance. He especially would not allow anything to happen to his friend!

(-)

Bakura leapt into the room through the window with ease. He landed into a tense crouch and surveyed his surroundings. A slightly unorganized room, he observed and stood up. He did not see anything that may have presented itself as a threat to him and relaxed. "Hmph, too easy," he said with a small laugh and looked back out the window. The pharaoh and his lackeys were out of sight. Bakura was willing to bet his entire night's plunder that they had gone back inside in search of him. He doubted their competence, but since they were the highest authority in all of Egypt, they had to have had _some_ brains.

Not enough to outwit him, of course. _Hmm…_he thought and ran his plan for the rest of the night through his head one more time before he decided to execute it. He would slip from room to room, take whatever he wanted, and get out when someone came in. With Diabound's special ability to pass through walls, it would be a cinch. By dawn, he would have ransacked the entire palace and gotten away, leaving six tired priests and a very cranky pharaoh. Yes, it was a perfect plan.

BASH

Bakura grunted in confusion and fell to the ground. He felt a searing pain in the back of his head and clutched it with a hand. The Thief King looked back to see an adolescent girl with tangled brown hair that fell past her shoulders.She had a medium-sized vase in her hands, but seemed to be having a little difficulty holding it.

"Who…?" He blinked and looked at his hand to see that there was no blood running down his wrist. His head still hurt, though. "Who the heck are you?"

Mana stared at him through half-closed eyes and replied, "This is my room. I should be asking you who you are."

"You stupid little girl," Bakura sneered, advancing a few steps toward her. He chuckled in a sinister way. The darkness around him enhanced his intimidation. As a criminal, it was imperative to be able to use one's environment to their advantage. "You really don't know who I am, do you?"

Despite her appearance, the brunette was surprisingly strong. Mana pulled the vase up and smashed it across the tomb raider's face.

She sent him sprawling. "OW—ooh…" He held a hand to the side of his face. He was bleeding this time. _This was _not_ right._ Bakura tasted his blood as it trickled down his face. How in Ra's name could a little girl be ruining his plans so much? He was furious. How dare she? "Dead—You are DEAD!" roared the white-haired thief and lunged at her with his hands stretched out in front of him.

The girl raised the vase above her head and let it drop, with her hands still gripping the rim tightly, on his head.

Repeatedly.

Mana's philosophy was simple: If the scary man who is threatening you is unconscious, then he will not be able to carry out his death threats.

"Rrrgghhhh…" The groan escaped Bakura in spite of his efforts to contain it. This was not happening… This was not happening to _him_. No, no… This was the most embarrassing defeat he had ever suffered. No—this was the most embarrassing defeat _any_ fellow crook could have ever possibly suffered. _That's it, _he thought wrathfully. _She meets Diabound!_

"Ah, Mana! Mana, are you all right?" Bakura cursed his bad luck. Someone was coming. From the sound of their footsteps, Bakura figured that therewere more than one. He swore quietly while he quickly crawled to the window. There was no way he would mess around with the pharaoh or his priests after this.

"Diabound!" he called out softly. His ka appeared in front of him. The girl, Mana, dropped the vase, her eyes growing big in alarm. Bakura looked back and smirked. "Next time," he promised her. And he left.

Atemu appeared in the doorway to see Mana peering out the window. "Mana! You…" His eyes caught the dark blood glistening on the floor next to the shattered vase. He stammered, "Are… are you bleeding?"

She looked over her shoulder as Mahaado appeared behind the pharaoh. "Oh! Master Mahaado—Atemu!" she gasped and ran over to give them both a hug. "I was worried about you!"

Mahaado looked at his apprentice and then back to the blood and pieces of clay behind her. "And what about you? What happened here?"

Sighing, Mana said, "Um… A scary man came through my window!" She pointed to the opening in the wall. Atemu hurried to the window, but Mana just said, "He's gone now… I checked."

"What happened when he came in?" asked Mahaado, his brow furrowing.

"I hit him with a vase."

"…"

"…"

From his spot by the window, Atemu repeated uncertainly, "You… hit him with a vase?"

Nodding, the brown-haired girl said, "And then he tried to attack me!" She added the wild arm movements to dramatize the story.

"And… then what?" Mahaado ventured.

"I hit him again."

"…"

"…"

"And again…" Mana added sheepishly. "And… again…" She blushed and asked, "He… He wasn't anyone important, was he…? Am I in trouble?"

Atemu slid his fingers through his golden, lightning-shaped bangs and sat in the opening of the window. He started to laugh. "The other priests will _never_ believe this!"

Mahaado placed a hand on Mana's head. She looked up at him, confused, and he said, "Maybe I should explain everything. Then, you can decide for yourself whether you're in trouble or not."

* * *

Yes, I'm well aware that that was anything but romantic... Well, give me sometime. 

R&R, please!


	2. Kidnapped!

The Stolen Heart

By Anime-2000

Disclaimer: Anime-2000 owns the characters that you never see in the original Egypt/Memory arc. The rest that everyone can identify, however, belong to Kazuki Takahashi and all other respective owners.

The Memory Arc is basically when Yami Yugi regains his memories, and he goes back in time (in his memories) and relives the moments when he was reigning as king.

Oh yes, to avoid some confusion, I know that there are a variety of way to spells the names in Yu-Gi-Oh, just as many of you know. I'm using the spelling that I saw first or am more familiar with. Like the village of Kuru Eruna, which in Shonen Jump magazine is Kul Elna. But the former is the term I'll be using. Okay, everyone?

And of course, the rest of the chapters in _The Stolen Heart,_ as well as this one, will be longer than the first chapter. (20 pages for this chappy—yeah!) After all, the first chapter was more like an introduction. Enjoy!

* * *

Nobody paid more attention to him than they would an average man. To the eye, he was completely normal. He was no different from anyone else walking down the streets of the marketplace. Merchants barely noticed the tufts of white hair sticking out from under the hood of his red jacket, and their customers did not see the pale scar under his right eye. Yes, no one noticed him because no recognized him.

The great Bakura. The all-mighty King of Thieves. The man who controlled Diabound, a godly ka-spirit. The most notorious tomb raider there ever was. The bandit who was beaten by a little girl…

Almost a week had passed, and the memory was still etched in his mind. He relived every painful, humiliating second when he slept. The girl's face burned his eyes every time he closed them, and he felt rage whenever he heard the name 'Mana'… or anything sounding relative close to the name.

Bakura took a deep breath and sighed, shutting his eyes as he rubbed his temples with a hand. Her dark blue eyes bore holes into his brain. How could she have done this to him? She was child, barely entering her double-digits! He could not take her off his mind; he dreamed those horrible moments at night.

The white-haired tomb robber blinked and shook his head slightly to clear his mind. No, he had not become obsessed with her. Bakura just wanted revenge. He wanted to hurt her like how she hurt him. Maybe more. Definitely more. He would make her pay and prove to her that he was superior to her. _Mana,_ he promised her as he strolled down the dirt path, vaguely glancing at the trinkets that were on sale, _what happened that night was a stroke of pure luck on your part!_

With that done, Bakura felt more at ease. He had come to the bazaar to take his mind off of _her_ after all There were always fascinating merchandise on sale as well as the ordinary, everyday products and food. Not only that, the people here could be most interesting as well. Oh yes, and they usually did not notice if he helped himself to a "free sample."

The woman was busy attending to her other costumers to notice when his handsnagged an apple from one of her baskets of fruit as he passed by. It had been a while since he had one. He did not have breakfast, and this would probably serve as his lunch. The fruit was refreshingly sweet. As he sank his teeth intothe appleagain, he heard an infuriated cry. The voice belonged to a man. Bakura finished his sad excuse for ameal and tossed the core aside.

He had heard the roar at his right, and looked around to see a couple of young boys race away from the red-faced storekeeper. They were heading toward him. "Stop them!" ordered the man, pointing a finger at the little shoplifters. Bakura studied the fat merchant carefully. His many chins shook as he yelled, and he seemed out of breath from such a short run. He had evidently lived a comfortable life, most likely having servants and slaves. The man looked as if he had never lifted a finger to work in his entire life.

In contrast, the skinny, emaciated boys ran like demons were chasing them. Their eyes round with fear as only one clutched their prize tightly: a small chunk of meat. "Menkh, hurry!" the older one cried as he rushed past Bakura. He held their steal.

Thinking quickly, the more experienced bandit made a rough estimation of the entire scene. This whole fiasco could end in his favor.

In an instant, Bakura's hand jerked up from his side, like a cobra striking, and closed his fingers around a clump of the second one's brown hair. The boy screamed and struggled wildly, tears streaming down his cheeks. "No—Let go, let go!" he wailed, and his big brother hurried toward them. Bakura ignored the din of both of them made as he dragged the crying child to the man. "Let go!" the boy persisted, trying to pull away despite the pain that must have been shooting through his skull.

Bakura had his head down, but he looked up through his thick bangs at the merchant. Up close, he seemed larger than the tomb robber had thought. Bakura loathed him even more. It seemed unfair that he had always had to fight for everything. Occasionally luck did favor him, but he did not like people who were born into such luck. Especially the pharaoh and his priests. People like them did not deserve such power to abuse.

_Tch._ He hastily pulled himself out of his spiteful thoughts before they got out of hand and redirected his attention back to the current situation. Hiding his anger with a pleasant voice as he yanked the sobbing boy up to the man, he asked amiably, "Were these boys causing you trouble, sir?" With a flick of a wrist, he had the little boy facing the merchant.

The older one stopped next to Bakura and held the meat in front of him. Tears were welling up in his eyes as well as he begged, "Please let him go! We… We couldn't afford it, but that's why we stole it!"

Rolling his eyes, the captor of the boy's younger brother thought, _No kidding._

"Our father's sick…" he continued as the tears started to spill. He bowed his head down to the ground and said, "And he can't work on the farm. Mother was trying to manage everything, but she… She died last week…" He started to cry. "We have no way to pay off our debts with Father ill, and we thought that if we could get him some good food, he would get better and could start working again…"

The furrows on Bakura's brow deepened as he listened to the story. This narrative seemed to pop up more often lately. He had heard it before, quite often in the streets, actually using it as an excuse when he was younger and less experienced. But this time it seemed to be an honest explanation. _It could still be a trick,_ he reminded himself. _Ah, but what does it matter? It doesn't interfere with my plan._

"They could work for it," suggested Bakura, feigning kind interest and released the younger one's hair. "It shouldn't take too long." He watched the boy fall to his knees and scramble to his older brother. It was a pitiful sight that made him sick. They had a family. And they were struggling to keep it together. It was… unjust.

The meat seller snorted and shook his head slightly. "I already have enough people working for me," he replied brusquely as he snatched back his property. "I don't need another two grubby brats clawing at me for money. Now off with you two! You were fortunate to have this guy around," he told him, jabbing a thumb at Bakura. "If I had caught you two, I would have beaten you senseless!" Bakura managed to stop himself from laughing, but he could not help but smirk under his cream-colored hood. Who was this guy kidding? He could not even catch either of the two, let alone land a punch on them.

Wiping their eyes, the boys mumbled a less than heartfelt apology and hurried off.

"Scum," said the fat man and turned to Bakura. "So, thanks for catching them for me."

Bakura's eyes narrowed. _For_ _**you**?_ His dangerous expression was abruptly replaced with a broad smile. "Hmm? Oh yes, no need to thank me," he said and chuckled, shaking his head. "Kids these days, huh?"

"Since you helped me out," the vendor said, leaning on his makeshift wooden counter, "I'll give you a five percent discount on a purchase. No, you look like a sturdy young man who's been working out," he suddenly corrected himself, waving a hand and leaned a little closer. "I'll make it ten just for you. How about it?"

"I can't refuse an offer like that." With a small nod, Bakura pointed to a sizeable hunk of meat hanging from the ceiling of the stall and said, "Then, I'd like that big one behind you."

"That one now? Yes, a good choice!" exclaimed the man before he even looked back. He turned around to see which one the man donned in red had requested. "Uh… Could you be a little more specific?" he asked, looking over his shoulder.

He never expected to be talking to thin air. "Sir?" he asked and glanced around. "Where are you?" Then, he looked down, and his face blanched. His sack of money from his sales was gone. He heard fading laughter and looked to his left to see a red coat flapping as the wearer ran away with his money.

"THIEF!"

(-)

Menkh stared up at his brother with his dark brown eyes as they slowly made their way home. He massaged his head, where the tall stranger had grabbed his hair, with a hand. "I'm sorry, Anhotep. I should have been more careful."

Anhotep shook his head rubbed his own head. "No, it's fine…" he said and forced a grin. "We weren't cut out for stealing anyway. We're just a couple of farmhands." His smile faded. "And so is Father. All I'm worried about is if we lose him, too…" Menkh sniffled again. Anhotep walked silently, in deep thought.

His little brother gasped, "Look, Brother!"

Coins fell from above. The precious metal brushed their skin and fell with light chinks on the ground around them. Menkh squealed in delight, kneeled down, and began to pick up the shining treasure. Stunned, Anhotep, too, fell to his knees. He tilted his head up but only saw the blazing Egyptian sun hanging above him in the blue sky. He looked forward and saw a figure in a crimson coat standing before him.

"Hey, Kid." He recognized the voice belonging to the man who had thwarted their robbery. Menkh's eyes were directed upward, too, and he clamped onto Anhotep's arm. The man stepped forward; his shadow fell upon the two brothers. The older boy saw that under the light hood of his jacket, the stranger had unnaturally white hair, for someone as young as him, and hard blue eyes.

"Who—who are you?" stammered Anhotep when he had summoned enough courage to speak.

"Does it matter who I am?" asked the man. His eyes swept the coins on the ground with a cool gaze and told him, "I've paid you. Now I need you to deliver a message for me."

The two boys did not understand this act of kindness. The same word floated in their minds: _Why?_ They stared at him long after he gave them the message.

"I can turn into a sadistic maniac when people get on my bad side," he told them, finally, as his patience began to wear thin.

They did not take the hint.

"Get moving!" roared the sadistic maniac.

(-)

Valley of the Kings.

He smiled deviously.

His playground.

"Bakura!" Heka squealed and waved to him. The white-haired tomb raider looked away from the hidden tombs to see her racing to him. She was a few years older than him but was only three-fourths his size. Her long black hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. He wondered why. Despite Heka's beauty, her hair was her most prized feature, and she took ever opportunity to show it off.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the scar on his cheek. "We were so worried after you disappeared for six days! Oh! You have another wound on your face!" Another kiss. "At least it's healing all right."

"Heh, if it leaves a scar after it heals, he'll have one on both sides of his face." Bakura laughed sarcastically at Hakim's remark as he approached them.

The large, muscle-bound man strolled leisurely toward the two, but a younger, more energetic teenage boy raced past him crying, "No fair! She gives Bakura _two_ kisses the moment she sees him, but I have to beg for _one!"_

"That's because Bakura's so much more handsomer than you are, Rasha," Heka teased and pushed Bakura away. "And at least _his_ scars enhance his good looks!" Bakura grinned and surveyed the three people in front of him. Lovely Heka. Impulsive Rasha. Strong but courteous Hakim. It was great to be back among those he actually trusted. Ironic that they were no-good, crypt-robbing scoundrels like him.

"Heka is right, though. Uh—about your absence, of course," Hakim said as he walked up to Bakura, pretending to disregard the other two as Heka brushed Rasha's long black bangs away and planted a kiss on his forehead. "We thought that the guards in that tomb had actually caught you! Then, these two boys came along and told us to meet you here by this tomb." The big man rubbed his stubbly, brown beard and looked back at the large cavern, which served as a royal resting place. "Now, then… if Rasha's ranting was right, then this would be…?"

Folding his arms across his chest, Bakura smirked and said, "The former King of Egypt rests in this crypt. We raid it tonight."

(-)

"Oh, poor Prince," sighed Mana, looking sadly at the exhausted pharaoh, "you're really stressed, aren't you?"

They were on one of the many balconies overhanging from the palace. He had his arms folded and resting on the stone hedge that lined the half circle. The afternoon sun beamed down on them radiantly, but the young king took comfort in the warmth. "All of the priests have been stalking me endlessly since that thief's intrusion. Guards are at my side every waking moment, and I'm positive someone's watching over me as I sleep," Atemu sighed, dropping his colorful head in his arms.

Mana sat on the hedge and looked down at her shoes as she dangled her legs in front of her. She turned to face the Egyptian ruler, who looked up listlessly to survey the kingdom before him. "I wouldn't call it stalking," she said, smiling sympathetically.

Atemu looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Then what would you call it?" he asked gruffly.

"Uh…" The brunette hesitated for a moment and stared up at a lone cloud in the sky thoughtfully before returning her attention to her friend. She shrugged and admitted with an embarrassed giggle, "I dunno." When Mana saw her friend's head lower again, she said, "Atemu, they're doing this to protect you! You know that, right?" The pharaoh nodded somberly. Mana grinned and threw her arms up above her head. "Great! Let's get those gloomy thoughts outta your mind. Since Master Mahaado's spending his time going around from one tomb to another, I have a lot more free time to make sure you do!"

The king agreed with a smile. "That's good. We should do something together, then." Mana was pleased to hear the words in her mind spoken by his lips, and she was relieved to see him happy again.

She nodded enthusiastically, "Uh huh! Let's play Hide-and-Go-Seek! You can be it, since you're pharaoh and all!"

"Aren't we a little old for that?"

"Oh please!" Mana pleaded, pressing her palms together in front of her face. "It's the only game I can beat you in!"

Giving her a playful looked, he said, "You can't hide in the pots in the hallways."

Mana pouted and placed her hands on her hips and made a face at him. "You can't make up rules like that!"

"I'm the pharaoh, remember?" Atemu wagged a finger at her and reminded her, grinning triumphantly. "Besides, even if you do hide there, I'll just find you eventually, you know?"

"Fine! I'll go hide somewhere else, then," said Mana, jumping up unexpectedly. Atemu warned her to be careful, but Mana just skipped from his right to his left. She twirled around to face him and said, "No problem."

"MANA. Come down from there!" Seto's voice sent a shock through the girl's body. Mana lost her balance and wobbled precariously while Atemu panicked and held his arms up; he was not sure how she would fall nor when to catch her.

It was Mahaado who came to her rescue. He looped an arm around her waist and risked being smacked several times by Mana's flailing limbs as he pulled her to safety. His apprentice grabbed onto him tightly, her eyes still large from fright. "Really, Seto, it was unwise to have alarmed her like that," he told the other priest. "You should have made your presence known or have just grabbed her like this—" He lifted Mana up a little as an example before setting her on her feet. "—And then advised against the action next time."

Seto rolled his eyes. "Please, if it had been you, you would have done the same thing."

"Oh no, allow me to elucidate my advice," Mahaado replied intelligently, "I clearly told you what you _should_ have done. Not what I _would_ have done." The younger priest gave him the coldest glare Mana and Atemu had ever witnessed and walked toward the young ruler, purposely bumping into the holder of the Millennium Ring as he strode by.

Mahaado frowned and said, "By the way, my lord, I have come back to give you my reports on the tombs that I had visited…" He gave Mana an exasperated look and added on, "And I also had to check up on my apprentice to make sure she wouldn't get into any trouble." Mana smiled at him innocently.

"Never mind that, Great Pharaoh," Seto said harshly and glared at Mahaado. "The ambassadors that we have been expecting have arrived early. They wish to have a word with you immediately."

The older priest gave him an incredulous look. "I came all the way from the Valley of the Kings!"

Seto cleared his throat loudly. "The ambassadors came from another country."

Mahaado bit back the heated reply on the tip of his tongue, bowed, and said coolly, "Then I will check the last tomb on my list and come back with a full report." After knowing him for many years, Mana knew that Mahaado tried to avoid confrontation with another priest if it was in his power.

Atemu's eyelids drooped half closed. "Hmm, of course," he said, his tired attitude returning instantly. Mana frowned, angry to see that her work had been reduced to nothing in merely a second. "Very well, then. Lead me to them, Priest Seto," he sighed again. With a glance back at Mana, he unexpectedly said, "On second thought, tell them I will see them later." Mana's face brightened.

To their disappointment, Seto shook his head slightly and said, "I advise against that. It is crucial that we have their side if war should ever arise against us. And now, as you may have been informed, there are rumors of an attack against Egypt…"

"All right, all right!" Atemu gave in and held a hand up to silence the Millennium Rod holder. His expression was a cross between annoyance and frustration. "I will go now!" He looked at her apologetically and said, "Maybe later, Mana, when there is time."

Mana nodded and bowed respectfully to him. "It would be my pleasure, Prince," she said formally. Then, she looked up and winked. Atemu smiled and followed Seto inside.

Perhaps they would slip out later when no one would be looking and head to the bazaar or the Nile. She smiled mischievously and thought to herself, _Or we could reschedule the Hide-and-Go-Seek game with the priests in the palace. Hehe._

"'Prince?'" asked Mahaado, looking down at his impish student. "He is a king now."

Laughing quietly, Mana headed towards the entrance to the palace and shrugged. "Old habits are hard to break, I suppose."

(-)

He could not be sure why his pupil had wanted to come with him to the final tomb that he had to check before nightfall. Mahaado was behind schedule. One of the guards that had been accompanying him had triggered one of the many traps in one of the previous tombs, and it took several hours to both escape with their lives and reset the trap. And now, the sun had set. Ra had made his way across the sky.

But that was not the point. Why had Mana insisted on coming? She had asked him after the incident on the balcony, and he reluctantly agreed. It was unlike the girl to traipse among the dead rather than walk with the living. He could not fathom an explanation as they entered the crypt, but her reactions to the cool chambers in the burial place answered his questions.

Mana gawked at the walls, at the hallways, at the traps. There was writing on the walls, and she could identify many of them, but there were still hundreds that she could not make out. She was actually glad to have come. At first, it had been something to kill time with. Somewhere she could go while her friends were busy. Now, she felt excited to be inside something so important. Of all the vaults Mahaado had taken her to, it was Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen's!

"Master, what does this say?" she exclaimed, pointing to an illustration on the wall. Before he could answer her, she flitted to a different picture on the wall across from the first. "Oh—oh! What's this? And that—look at that! What does it say?"

Mahaado shook his head and smiled, both pleased and amused by Mana's exuberance. "How am I to answer your questions if you don't allow me to speak? And be more respectful inside a tomb. Especially since this is Atemu's father's."

The girl blushed and waited for her teacher to catch up to her. Unlike his student, Mahaado took his time and did not hurry through his tasks. Mana just simply did not have the patience or time to be so slow. She had mentioned that to him before, but he only rolled his eyes and assigned her more work.

"Let me guess," Mana said, pressing her finger against one of the carvings. "That is the former pharaoh, isn't it? Does it tell of his reign over Egypt? Maybe Atemu is up here somewhere, too!" With that, the brunette girl raced down the hall with her hand sliding along the wall.

After that, the men were blessed with a few minutes of quiet peace.

"Mana, come back before you get lost," Mahaado called out to her wearily but quickened his pace. "And be careful…! There are many traps here that you don't know about." When he received no response, he began to grow worried. "Mana?" He broke into a run. The guards behind him sped up, too. "Mana! Answer me!" Still, there was no shout of reassurance back.

Instead, there was a terrified shriek.

There was a dead silence after that. The dusty air in the tomb reeked with trouble.

"MANA!" Mahaado should have known something like this would happen. Yes, actually, he did. Even if it was suppressed in his subconscious, he realized that this was the greatest fear he held in his heart since the moment they had stepped inside the pyramid. It may have been a long shot, but by some incredible luck (incredibly bad luck), it had happened.

She screamed again. He could hear her, but where was she? Further along this path? Or from the other side of the wall? "Put me down—! Ma—Master!" Sounds of a struggle. She was definitely ahead.

He ran faster. "MANA!"

(-)

Meanwhile, before Mahaado realized that his apprentice was missing, Mana was fine, eagerly looking for hieroglyphs that she could recognize. Then, she realized she was lost.

She glanced around but only saw the dark chamber. "Master… Mahaado?" Her stomach gave a lurch, and she swallowed. Still, even in the darkness, Mana reminded herself to remain calm. Despite the fact that she would remain in here for minutes… at most hours. Mahaado would find her eventually. However big this tomb may have been, he would still be able to find her!

Unless she had stumbled into some secret, hidden chamber. Then it might take days… weeks… months… They may stop searching for her after months… Never mind that—she would die after weeks! She might spend the rest of her days in this damp, dark place. Unknown in this room. With a mummy possibly in the next room… But what did it matter? Wait, she may be punished in the afterlife for trespassing. No, the gods would understand her predicament. She had done nothing wrong, and her heart was not burdened by wrong deeds that would outweigh the Feather of Truth that would judge her… At least, she did not think… Had she lived a good and virtuous life?

Mana shook her head free of those thoughts. What was she thinking? She was still alive now, and her first priority was to find either Mahaado or a way out; not counting all the good deeds she had done in her life! She took a deep breath and looked around more closely. There had been no sudden movements in her surrounding or any sound of heavy stones falling, so she was certain that none of the traps had been sprung.

If nothing had changed, then there had to be a pathway back out. If she retraced her steps, she would bump into Mahaado again sooner or later. Then all will be well, and she would not let his arm out of her death grip until they were out of the tomb. Yes, she had that to look forward to. As for now, she would stay calm and keep her mind from becoming clouded with fear. She would be all right. _Isis, help me…_ she prayed silently to the goddess…

What was the priestess, Isis, doing now? She wondered that as she sprinted down the hallway. She had always been kind to Mana, and the girl respected her greatly. Maybe someday Mana would reach her rank; she could be a great magician and priest—just like Mahaado! And she would be able to talk Atemu all she wanted and not be driven away because the pharaoh had 'important business with the priests to attend to.'

Mana was relieved to find that she had been able to take her mind off her present dilemma. Her eyes had become accustomed to the dark. _Things weren't so bad,_ she told herself and took a deep breath and blew it back out. She had been holding her breath for a while.

She was excited when she heard, faintly but still human, voices around the corner of the hall. A faint light glowed, and Mana ran towards it. She would have shouted out.

But an uneasy feeling kept her from doing so. The voices were unfamiliar. Anxiety clutched her heart, and she backed away. She should be running back, away from the direction she was facing. No matter how loudly her mind advised her, she could not. Her feet were blocks of stone that melded with the floor underneath her.

Finally: _No,_ she thought, whirling around just as _they_ turned the corner. _That wasn't Mahaado or the guards!_ She ignored the shocked cries and dashed away as fast as her legs would permit her. Mana had to find Mahaado now. This time, it was more urgent. She had to tell him—warn him! _Those were tomb raiders!_

They were pursuing her. And they were catching up. _Oh. My. Gods._ They were going to kill her—she was certain of it! As soon as they caught her—As soon as she was in their grasp.

A strong had reached out and grabbed her bare shoulder. Mana shrieked. She screamed as loudly as she could, and the hand yanked back on her. The girl fell hard on her back and bumped her head against the stone floor. "Owwww!" Mana groaned, clutching her throbbing head. Large hands grabbed her arms, right above her elbows, and pulled her to her feet. She was dizzy, and her head still hurt, but she still tried to yank herself free.

The light was held up to her face. After being in the dark for so long, Mana's eyes hurt from the sudden brilliance of the lamp. Her pupils shrunk and she jerked her head away, shutting her eyes.

"Huh, just a girl!" a young man's voice whispered, surprised. "See, Heka, I told you that secret passage would take us nowhere! She couldn't have wandered in very far, so I'm willing to bet we're back where we started!"

Heka was a woman. Mana could tell from her voice. She hissed at him, "You're the one that lost track of Bakura's whereabouts! If it weren't for you, we'd… um… Well, we'd still know where he is!"

"Stop this pointless arguing!" the man who held Mana commanded, quietly. The other two's bickering ceased to a silence. "At this rate, we'll never find him! And now look what else we have to deal with!" He lifted the girl in his hands a little, and he sighed. "Let's just finish our job and leave him to do his."

Mana felt his grip loosening. It was now or never. She sprang back and rammed herself into her captor. He gave a grunt of surprise and let go. Mana took her chance and turned and ran past him.

Her heart was pounding furiously. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her in the dark, hoping fervently that she would not crash into a wall._ Master…!_ she thought desperately, wishing he could hear her thoughts. All she wanted was to see him again. If she could be at his side again, she would be safe. He would know what to do. Mahaado would stop those tomb robbers with his ka.

They were not following her. But if what they said was true, then Bakura would be roaming the crypt, too. He was the man who crept through her window that night. Mahaado had told her about him. He was a thief, specializing in raiding tombs, like this one. Now, Mana realized that not only should she find Mahaado for her own safety, but also so Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen would be able to rest in peace.

"MANA!" She heard her name being called out by Mahaado's voice. She felt weak from relief. _Oh gods, thank you…!_

THUNK

Both of them fell back, hard. In the dark, it was impossible to see who it was, but the person she had run into was a man. Mana was hesitant, and she quickly crawled to her hands and knees. "M—Master…?"

A chill ran down her spine. No, it was someone else. Not Mahaado nor any of the guards. This person—this man's presence was unnerving. An aura of hate surrounded him. Must have been Bakura.

Slowly, she got to her feet. She would not reveal her position if he could not hear her. Unfortunately, the thief knew that fact, too. It was dead quiet. The silence felt like a weight that would crush her. She inched back, gradually creating a greater distance between them.

Her heel caught on an uneven tile. The usually soft chink and scuttle of her feet as she tried to regain her balance was deafening. She clamped a hand over her mouth in horror, her eyes widening.

(-)

Bakura laughed softly. He could see the fear in the girl's large eyes. Having been in the crypt far longer than she had, he was already used to the dark. Everything was still for a moment. Bakura felt like a cat toying with a mouse.

Time started to flow again. Mana whirled around ran. Bakura bolted after her. In less than a second, he had her trapped in his strong arms. "It's dangerous for a little girl to be all alone in a crypt like this," he murmured in her ear. Her struggles increased, but he had her arms pinned down to her sides. Her legs kicked helplessly under her.

"Put me down—!" she screamed, trying frantically to squirm out of his grip. "Ma—Master!"

"Oh, so that priest is here too, eh?" Bakura asked, smirking in the dark. "Is he trying to protect this wretched tomb from me? He'll have to try very hard, especially if he couldn't protect you!"

"MANA!" Mahaado's voice again.

Mana turned her head to look back at him. Her eyes were narrow and defiant. "He knows I'm here! He'll wipe the floor with you in a Duel!"

This time, Bakura's laughter was unrestrained. "HA! How cute. You honestly think _he_ stands a chance against _me_!"

The girl's dark face flushed in anger. She bit his arm.

His hold on her weakened as he gave a startled grunt. She was certain she had not hurt him, but all she needed was a chance to get away. Mana pushed him away, but before she could run, he had a hold of her arm again. _Agh, the same trick doesn't work twice, I know, but it should _work once per person…

Light flooded the hall. Mana held up a hand to shield her eyes, but she peeked through her fingers. She jerked her hand away when she saw who had come to her rescue. "Master!" she exclaimed, delighted at the sight of her teacher and the guards carrying warm, blazing torches.

"Mana!" Mahaado blinked when he saw who was standing behind her. "Bakura!"

The thief grinned darkly. "In the flesh," he announced and pulled Mana back to him. She gasped and clawed at the thief's arm as he wrapped it around her neck and added, "And ka."

Instantly, the torches were snuffed out. A colossal white figure illuminated the large hallway. Diabound stood behind Bakura. It seemed a little different than the last Mahaado had seen it…

"Hey," the white-haired tomb robber said, smiling scornfully. "Let's play a game."

"A game?"

Nodding, Bakura said, "Yes. Since you're going to chase after me and battle me anyway, let's make it more interesting for our audience." With that, he motioned to Mana and the guards. "Don't worry. The rules are simple."

Mahaado watched in wonder as Bakura's great ka slowly sank into the floor until it disappeared. Suspicious of the thief's intentions, he muttered, "What's this?"

"The main aspect of the game," replied Mana's captor coolly. "Now, will you play or not? I warn you, though… The more time you take deciding, the more damage Diabound will do. To the tomb…" Bakura grinned maliciously. "Or to your precious mummy."

"…!" Mahaado stood silently, absorbing this psychological blow that may as well have been physical.

"Master!" Mana cried, shaking her head. She was trying her hardest not to burst out in tears. "Don't accept it! This has to be a trap! Please don't—!" Bakura's arm tightened around her throat.

"Yes, Priest," he said mockingly. "Save your own life and run or stay and die defending everything here." He grabbed Mana's chin roughly and turned her to face him. "This girl's life is in my hands, it's true, but it's really up to you."

Priest Mahaado's hands clenched into fists at his sides. He closed his eyes and said, "Fine. Explain the rules."

"Master!"

Bakura nodded, satisfied. "Good. Basically, all you have to do is try to catch me. If you do, you'll win, you get the girl back, I'll be caught, and all that good stuff." Mana blinked and looked up at him to see whether he was being honest or not. "But if you don't catch me, and I make it out of this place, then good luck to you then because you'll have a heck of a time getting out with your life!"

There was more to the game than just that, Mahaado knew, but there was no more time. Bakura gave him one last condescending look before he disappeared into the darkness of the hallway. Mahaado looked back at the guards and told them, "Go back to the entrance. If any more thieves try to get in, stop them. I will go after Bakura alone."

The guards looked at him with concerned expressions. "But, Lord…" Mahaado had been kind to them, and Mana's perpetually sparkling personality was a pleasure to be around. They did not want to leave the priest or his apprentice in such danger. But they had to obey his orders. "Yes…" they said at last. "Yes, Lord Mahaado."

Mahaado went after Mana and Bakura.

(-)

His arm had switched from a choking hold around her neck to an iron-strong grip around her waist. Bakura carried Mana at his side like some large, rolled up rug. And yet, despite her weight, he was going at an incredibly fast speed. Then again, she was not _that_ heavy.

"Put me down!" she yelled at him, pounding her fists against his chest.

"I should," Bakura snorted. "Then, you can die in the traps just like that priest of yours."

Mana stared at him, wide-eyed. "That's what Diabound's doing?"

"Clever girl, aren't you?" came the sarcastic response. Part of Bakura's mind was working on the plan. The other part was figuring out what he was going to do with her. Sure, he had planned to have his vengeance, but he had not expected to see her, much less have her in his grasp, so soon. He wanted revenge to be brilliant, not obvious and hastily thought out! _Well, this should be proving a lot right now,_ Bakura thought to himself scathingly.

Looking back, Mana could see Mahaado had managed to catch up to them. Bakura did, too. "Hey!" he shouted back. "Remember all the traps you've set? As the pursuit leads deeper into the crypt, Diabound will set them off. Know what it feels like to be a tomb robber!" he laughed, "Can you feel the adrenaline?"

Just then, the ceiling above them trembled. Blocks of stone fell, one by one. Bakura darted out of their way easily. A huge stone cube would have flattened the thief and his hostage, had Bakura not leapt away before they were crushed. Mahaado had more difficulty than Bakura, but made it through the trap anyway.

"Bakur—Bakura, why are you doing this?" she asked the tomb raider as he sped up. She glanced behind them and was glad to see Mahaado was still alive.

"I hate him," he answered her bluntly. "I hate all of the priests—the pharaoh… I hate you, too." He looked down at her with a stern glower.

"Was it because I hit you with that vase?" Mana asked, stunned at his disturbing answer. Her own expression was sad. "I'm so sorry." Bakura stumbled but quickly regained his footing. He seemed to slow down.

People rarely apologized to him like that. They usually were unconcerned if he hated them or not or even why he loathed them so much. "Tch," muttered Bakura, much to Mana's dismay. _It's too late for me to be able to believe that._

(-)

Mahaado scowled. This was not right. This was insane. Now, he had to think like a tomb robber. As much as he wanted to, he could not run recklessly into danger. He had to be careful. Like always.

He had lost sight of Bakura again. And Mana. _If we ever make it through this, I swear I'll never allow Mana inside a tomb again until the day of her death!_

From the corner of his eye, Mahaado caught a glimmer of light. It faded as quickly as it had appeared. Mana's shriek echoed ominously, but Mahaado knew that as luck would have it, she would be safest with Bakura, who was one of the best tomb raiders ever. It was a hard fact to admit.

(-)

"Heh." Bakura skid to a stop in the larger chamber and turned around. He pulled out an arrow that had pierced his hood and examined it carefully before throwing it away over his shoulder. No blood. It had barely missed his skin. "He's taking a while," he informed Mana with a wicked grin. "Think he died in the barrage of arrows?"

Mana felt numb; her limbs dangled limply under her like a rag doll. "No…" she said faintly, her eyes still wide. Even now, she wondered whether it was truly safe or not. Bakura thought that her voice seemed a little less certain than before. "No! No, of course not!" Never mind.

The Illusionist Mage bolted out of the dark hallway. Mahaado appeared after it. Bakura's pale blue eyes narrowed dangerously before taking on an amused look. "Still alive, eh?"

"Return the girl." Mana admired how her mentor could still keep a calm expression on his face after all that.

Bakura raised an eyebrow at Mahaado's spirit. It was a strangely clad humanoid figure with a childish physique. Mana felt angry at Bakura's skepticism. In spite of its small appearance, she knew it had the ability to be incredibly powerful. "Oh, so we're fighting ka to ka now?" asked the thief.

The ground underneath them trembled.

Collapsed.

The tiled floor split and fell down to a seemingly bottomless pit. Mahaado jumped back onto stable ground. His ka hovered above the gaping hole in the ground. Mana panicked and clung tightly to Bakura's waist. He was the only that was unworried.

"Illusionist Mage!" Mahaado called out, and the little magician instantly dove down after them. Mana reached a hand out to it.

An alabaster-white snake whipped out at the ka. "No—NO!" Mana cried as it trapped the Illusionist Mage in its white fangs. The snake head thrashed around wildly and finally released it, sending it soaring upwards.

Diabound appeared under them. Bakura landed on his ka's back with Mana right next to him. She realized that he had let go of her, but she could do nothing. If she jumped, she would have plummeted to her death. The Illusionist Mage flew to her in another attempt at rescue.

"You lose, Priest!" Bakura announced, his voice resonating in the chamber. "Who did you think you were? Defeating the King of Thieves at his own game? HA!" He stretched a hand out, his palm facing Mahaado. "Attack, my great beast!" he roared, "Spiral Wave!"

The attack swirled toward the priest, knocking his ka out of the air. "MASTER!" Mana screamed, jumping forward. Bakura grabbed her arm to keep her from leaping off right into Diabound's Spiral Wave. He wondered what happened to her common sense. "NO!" She could not see her teacher anymore. "Master Mahaado!"

Something snapped inside of her. And her mind refused to take in the scene before her eyes. The ruins of the darkening chamber. The great, demonic ka she stood on. Bakura's derisive laughter as they faded into the stone walls of Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen's crypt.

* * *

Not that it's relevant to the storyline here, but I find it funny how Atemu is struggling and questioning what his name is in the recent English Shonen Jump magazines, and yet us fans are just writing it down and using it so easily because we were impatient and read spoilers and translated manga scans! Almost makes me feel bad.

R&R!


	3. Memoirs of a Thief

The Stolen Heart

By Anime-2000

Disclaimer: Ever wanted to poke Bakura's scar before? I mean—no, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!. The characters that don't appear in the English or Japanese anime or manga are mine, though.

Ack, Anime is such an idiot. After a quick examination of the storyline here, she realized that there _are_ SPOILERS here. Including why Bakura wants to kill Atemu and his priests. And Kuru Eruna.

I can't wait until the Memory Arc gets dubbed. I am especially looking forward to seeing _Egyptian_ Bakura with an _English_ accent. Unless they wisely change that. We'll see, ne? On a side note, after reading some summaries from janime, I am royally unhappy with Bakura's fate. Isn't it awful when you're obsessed with the main villain of a story? Especially when they're three-dimensional so you feel sorry for them and then grow to love them. I do believe that's how Mana is in this fic. :)

Um… Question: Should I change the rating of this from K+ to T? Bakura's getting a little violent.

I found much of my information from janime(dot)net. It also has a link to a different manga site, but that's not for people in the US, apparently. (sigh) You can also find episode guides and manga summaries there. I am mainly relying on my Shonen Jump magazines. Heheh, sorry for advertising, but anyway, those are my sources. I made up a couple of things here and there, too, but I guess that's allowed, seeing how this is _fanfiction_, right? But overall, I think I stuck to most of the crucial parts concerning the Millennium Items. If anyone sees anything wrong, tell me in a review so I don't make the same mistake again in the future, please!

* * *

"Ahoy," Bakura announced his presence in the darkness of the night. "Did you get all of it?"

The moon was a mere sliver in the deep blue sky, but its dim light fell upon the three figures he was speaking to. One of them snapped her fingers. A fire shot up and roared merrily in the middle of the small circle they made. The identities of all three were revealed, along with the golden luster of a large chamber's worth of treasure. The light from the blaze also fell upon the rocks of various sizes scattered around them, but in centuries, they would be nothing more than sand. The one who had summoned the fire smirked. "See for yourself," Heka told him as she pulled a gilded mirror to her face, admiring her kohl-rimmed brown eyes.

Rasha, who was using a sack of gold to rest his head on, stretched his limbs and yawned. "Great plan, Bakura… Would've been nice to stay and see all the damage you caused, but I guess we can't have everything." With that, he patted his pillow fondly and rolled over and fell back asleep.

Only Hakim, who was sitting on a large, flattened stone, seemed to notice the girl Bakura held at his side. The unconscious girl. The big man sighed. "Where'd you get her, Bakura?"

The white-haired thief looked down at Mana. "Hm? Oh, yeah…" With a careless thrust, he flung her before them, a couple of feet away from the crackling fire. "She tagged along," he said, grinning wickedly. "I'll get rid of her later."

Heka's mirror flew toward him. Had Bakura seen it sooner, he would have done something cool to prevent it from smashing into his face. Alas, he did not…

"You will do no such thing!" the older woman snapped at him as she walked toward the brown-haired girl he had tossed toward them. Bakura glared at his reflection in the hand mirror and set it aside. Mana was stirring. Heka knelt down beside her. "Poor thing…" She whipped her head toward Bakura and said, venomously, "What did you do to her?"

(-)

"…fainted on me!" was what Mana awoke to. Then, there was, "I can't believe you would hurt a little girl!" She blinked a few times and sat up, rubbing her head.

The scary man with the white hair was currently yelling at a girl with long, dark hair. "She had it coming!"

"What did she ever do to you, huh? Care to explain?"

Bakura opened his mouth, ready with a furious reply. He must have thought better of it because he then clamped his mouth shut and looked away without another word. Aside from a faint blush that was staining his cheeks, he was very threatening; he looked absolutely livid and ready to tear apart the next person or thing that decided to pick a fight with him.

The victor of the argument looked back, and Mana realized that she was a woman. A very lovely woman. Who instantly had her in a bone-crushing hug. "Oh, you are the cutest thing I have ever seen!"

Mana blinked again, not sure whether she should be trying to struggle out of the woman's embrace or just enjoying the fact that she had been saved from Bakura's wrath.

"Quit it, Heka, you're killing it." The man farthest from the fire said groggily. He pushed himself up and glanced around at the scene. Mana quickly recognized him as the young man who had nearly blinded her back in the former pharaoh's tomb. Apparently, he remembered her too. "Ooh!" he said, rubbing his eyes and taking another look at her. "You're that one girl!"

"Oh, he's right!" the woman said, pushing Mana away enough to get a better view of her face. "So we meet again! What's your name, sweetheart?" The girl's mouth moved soundlessly as she shook her head. Heka laughed and let her go. "Don't worry. No one here is going to harm you. _Right?_" With that, she looked at Bakura menacingly. She was answered with a snort and muttering. "So go ahead."

"M-Mana," she finally stammered, closing her eyes. "The—the apprentice of Priest Mahaado."

Nodding, Heka murmured, "Mahaado… I think I've heard of him before…" She was thoughtful but then shrugged and giggled, "but I can't remember where."

"He's dead." Bakura had taken a seat beside Hakim. He watched the fire with a satisfied gleam in his eyes. "I killed him in the tomb. And I'll go back for his Millennium Ring later. The workmen will probably start to dig through all the rubble in a day or two, so I'll go pay my 'respects' to the former King of Egypt _again_ tomorrow morning." Heka nodded grimly but kept silent. Mana, on the other hand, could not take his taunts anymore.

She stormed up to the King of Thieves, her blue eyes blazing angrily. "How dare you speak like that," she snarled at him, feeling her blood boil. "My mentor is _not_ some weak little man who could be killed by that! He's still alive, and the Ring is rightfully his!"

For the briefest of moments, Bakura looked surprised at her outburst. Then, the corners of his mouth tugged upward, and he deftly leapt off the rock. A gasp caught in Mana's throat as she stepped back. Bakura leaned forward slightly as he advanced on her. "It's amazing how loyal you are to him. And stupid." He laughed scornfully as she backed away. Mana scowled, furious with the fact that she had been retreating ever since she had met them. "So tell me, how do you think he survived?" Bakura asked her, taking another step forward.

The first time she had triumphed over him was merely out of luck. Mana knew that, but she had never expected to meet up with him again. It was her teacher's job to deal with criminals like him, and she had just assumed that she would be safe with him. But now, she realized that she was in more danger than she could have possibly anticipated when she asked Mahaado for permission to join him on his trip to the tomb of Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen. But she would not allow her fear to surface. Especially not in front of Bakura. "All I know is that he couldn't have died so easily!" Mana retaliated, taking another step back. "He's too loyal to the pharaoh to allow his life to be taken so effortlessly by some petty thief!" Mana was not sure how that made sense, but in truth, words were just spilling out of her mouth without control.

Bakura had that maniacal grin on his face again. The one she had seen in the tomb. His palm slammed into her chest, and the next thing she knew, the soft sand had disappeared from beneath her feet. Mana tumbled uncontrollably down the sand dune. She finally came to a halt when her back slammed into the flat surface of one of the many huge rocks jutting up from the desert ground.

With her head still spinning, Mana pushed herself up with the support of the rough stone. She opened her eyes to see Bakura sliding down after her. In less than a second, he stood before her. His smile was still sinister. "You wanna go back, then? Do you want me to take you to the crypt again, so you can see his dead body there buried under enough concrete to crush every bone in the human body?"

Mana shuddered involuntarily, causing Bakura to throw his head back and laugh. He grabbed both of her shoulders and rammed her into the rocky wall behind her again. "He's _dead,_" he said to her so softly that only Mana could hear his husky voice. It held a quiet malevolence in it. "Face the facts. As of this moment, you are no longer living in the fantasy world of royalty. _This_ is reality."

She looked down. Swallowing a painful lump in her throat, Mana whispered, "You're wrong."

"Denial won't get you anywhere," Bakura said in his regular voice, catching one of her tears on a finger. He flicked it away. "At least it was only one person you cared about. It could have been all of them."

The night air had cooled drastically. But it was not the cause of the chill settling in the bones of all five of them. His three companions stared at him, stunned. They had not heard a single word exchanged between the two, but they knew something was amiss. "Bakura…" Heka murmured softly, but he only raised a hand for silence.

"You got the horses, right?" he said coldly. He took Mana roughly by the arm. "Then we can go."

(-)

_It'll soon be all of them,_ Bakura realized as his stallion raced across the desert land. _I swore I'd kill all of them to avenge Kuru Eruna. To have justice._

Mana sat behind him with her arms around his middle. The moon's rays caused the sand to take on a grayish gleam. Her mind was racing as fast as the horse. Her idle stare swept across the silvery sea without interest. She could have leapt off and made a run for it. But this was the desert; it would have been an irrational decision. No supplies, no water. She would have deemed it moronic, once the sun rose.

Atemu fell off a horse once, when he was a little younger. Mana, who was still getting to know him at the time, had seen him climbing on the back of a purebred horse that was given to his father by some foreign sovereign. She smiled at the memory. It was night, like now. He thought that no one had seen him and was riding around the courtyard. Mana remembered being impressed by the way he maneuvered the mare so effortlessly; he was a born leader. Then, he saw her. The image of him falling quickly came to mind. If Atemu could break an arm falling off of a horse that was trotting around within palace walls, then what would happen to her if she leapt off a large stallion galloping at full speed in the vast desert wasteland?

It would be wiser to wait until they reached their destination. Maybe then, someone would come to her aid. She still held on to her hope that it would be Mahaado, but Bakura's remarks did not help.

What was wrong with the man, anyway? Why did Bakura act this way? The brunette girl's eyes glanced up at the mass of silvery hair shining in the moonlight before lowering her gaze back to the desolate landscape. _A traumatic past?_ Mana ventured, heaving a sigh at the brown locks of hair whipping at her face. She wanted to brush them back and secure them under her headpiece, but suddenly she was afraid to let go. _But what could've happened to make him this monster?_

She lifted her head from the red coat on his back and looked ahead, past him. Atemu's father rested in the fast approaching underground cavern. Mana closed her eyes and prayed with all her might that she would not find Mahaado in there.

(-)

There was some commotion earlier that night, but everyone else had neglected to tell Asan what had happened. He was the newest guard assigned to protect Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen's tomb. The others were too distracted and busy to fill him in. All Asan knew was that during an inspection, one of the priests met up with a tomb robber. All details after that were hazy.

He sighed and resumed his task of protecting the dead king's crypt, wondering what whether if there was a point or not. The thief had already stolen most of the treasure that the former pharaoh was supposed to have taken to the afterlife with him; there was no reason for him, or any other tomb raider, to return. And yet, orders were given and the number of guards incremented.

A blur rushed toward him. Asan squinted in the darkness, trying to make out the figure. He blinked his eyes wide open. "Hey—HEY!" he hollered back to the others who were on the night shift as well. "There's something over there!" They rushed toward him, their eyes following where his finger pointed. "Look, it's coming! What do we do?"

By then, the blur had turned into a dot, which grew into a horse and rider. The black horse kicked up a cloud of sand behind it as it raced nearer. "Protect the tomb!" someone shouted as the beautiful, black stallion charged through the crowd. "It's that thief again!"

The horse turned, and the rider jumped off effortlessly. There was someone else with him, but that was all the guards saw before they lunged out of the horse's path again. They sprang up quickly, with their spears ready to defend. Asan recognized the scared girl standing behind the white-haired man. "It's the student of Lord Mahaado!" he cried, jabbing his javelin at her.

"Bakura! He's taken a hostage!" another one of his fellow guards added on.

"Master Mahaado?" she demanded, moving closer. "What happened to him? Is he all right—!"

Bakura snorted and held an arm out in front of her to keep her from taking another step forward. "How dare you accuse me of taking her hostage?" His lips drew back in a malicious smirk. "The great Bakura doesn't need one!"

"Such arrogance!" snarled a well-built guard, and he charged toward the offender. "I can take you on myself!"

The Thief King's smile grew.

In an instant, the man lay prostrate on the ground beside Bakura. The white-haired tomb robber jabbed his spear into the earth next to him and turned his attention to the rest of them. "Now _that_ was arrogant. He had no chance," Bakura said shaking his head in mock pity. "Let's see, three of you left… Why don't you all come at me at once to even the odds a little?" They took no hesitation.

Everything happened so quickly; Asan had difficulty taking it all in. Bakura was swift on his feet. By the time one of them had come within an attacking range, he would dart away and knock the guard behind him into an unconscious state. Teran, who had been kind to Asan, grabbed a fistful of Bakura's red coat in an attempt to keep him in one place for the others to attack. The tomb raider whirled around, grabbed both of Teran's arms and forced a foot hard into his gut. The man uttered a groan and fell to his hands and knees. "Don't touch my coat," Bakura warned him a little too late and spun around, smashing his fist into another guard's face.

After a few moments of 'thuds', 'whams', and occasional 'crunches', all but Asan were on the ground. One of the guards' eyes and mouth were wide open, as if he would have screamed. If Bakura had allowed him. And the rest… Asan could have sworn they were dead.

"One left." Bakura's strong hand wrapped around his throat, and his other wrestled the spear from Asan's hand. "Soon to be none." Cold perspiration slid down Asan's skin. Bakura's stare was relentless. Asan could only hope that his death would be fast and painless. Either his appearance betrayed his fear or the thief had read his mind. With a callous laugh, Bakura raised him higher. "Look at him. Look at the coward sweat and panic. Begging every god who might be listening to save him. Or at least allow him an easy death."

"_Stop."_ Both men looked to Priest Mahaado's student. Her dark skin seemed pale in the moonlight, her sapphire-like eyes large and frightened. But her voice had been strong and commanding. She took a shuddering breath and said, gently, "Bakura, please don't kill him. Put him down." She stared at him pleadingly. _"Please."_

Asan wanted to shrink, out of his captor's grip, and flee into the darkness of the night. Bakura's gaze was harsh and cold. "Tch. Lucky bastard," he muttered to Asan dropped him. The guard's legs wobbled and collapsed beneath him. Bakura turned around. "Make some use of yourself. Tell the pharaoh I'm still coming for him." He strode past Mana, taking a hold of her upper arm. "Now, let's go before we attract more unwanted attention." The girl looked at Asan, her eyes seemed to beg him to come to her rescue as the tomb robber led her away.

But as the King of Thieves himself decreed, Asan was a coward.

(-)

"What should we do?"

"I can't believe him."

"It's nearly dawn…"

"He won't fall asleep with _this_ failure hanging over his head."

"Someone needs to talk to him."

"Have Karim do it."

"Seto, talk to him."

"…"

"The pharaoh demands it!"

After all that frantic whispering, Priest Seto would have liked nothing more than to leave the problem where it originated. To a certain priest. The Millennium Rod holder sighed silently and made his way to the balcony, where that certain priest stood.

"Well, consider yourself lucky that your ka saved you a moment before it was too late," Seto said, wondering why in Amun's name Atemu would choose him out of all six priests to consol the miserable Ring holder. "All right, so you lost the insolent thief… And your apprentice… And almost your life…"

(-)

Somewhere nearby, hidden from view, Atemu slapped his forehead and let his palm slide down his face. _Stupid Seto._

(-)

"…But that doesn't mean you should be mourning over it; it was a ridiculous mistake, which can be corrected if you act quickly," Seto continued with an impatient severity in his voice. The sun was rising slowly, its orange-golden glow spreading across the horizon. He had never taken time to enjoy a sunrise; he did not mean to be disrespectful to Ra, but there was just no time. "Dammit, Mahaado. This is your own fault. Your student did not have to accompany you to see Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen's crypt."

Mahaado shook his head slightly to pull himself out of his reverie. Sighing, he agreed, "I know. I must correct my errors. Before more can be created from them." He headed back inside.

Priest Seto folded his arms. "I suggest you become a little stronger before you take Bakura on again. You ka is not strong enough, and neither is your ba! Another battle will yield the same results, if you do not take care."

"Seto." Mahaado stopped walking. He had addressed the other priest simply, with a strangely cold tone. "When Mana was here, I could tolerate you. I suggest that you pray to Isis for a successful search. My patience is wearing thin."

Priest Mahaado left Priest Seto on the balcony, trying to discern what he had just heard. Meanwhile, Atemu breathed a sigh of relief when Mahaado had passed him and had entered another room. He would have talked to the possessor of the Millennium Ring instead. Had he not seen a slightly threatening glint in his eyes.

Atemu was a fearless leader, it was true. But some things he just could not deal with.

(-)

Mana watched as Bakura appeared and disappeared from the pile of rubble. Each time, he seemed to grow more and more frustrated until finally, he came out muttering under his breath. Mana's brows met anxiously. "You couldn't find him?" she asked, her voice rising. She had hoped that if Bakura was right then… If Mahaado really had died, she would have been able to… "What does that mean?" she cried, running up to him as was about to dive in again. "What could've happened?" Her hand caught his arm, and he turned back. His eyes met hers.

"It means," he said sullenly, breaking eye contact for a moment to gaze around the ruined chamber, "that he got out."

Her arm fell from his, limply. "He's alive?"

"He's alive," Bakura assured her through gritted teeth and redirected his attention elsewhere, feigning apathy. If he gave the girl the excuse to, she would gloat over this loss and never let him live it down. Not that she would be with him much longer anyway. But still…

She was silent for a few moments and then sighed. The brunette smiled gratefully and thanked whatever or whoever was responsible for Mahaado's safety. "Great," she said and laughed, relieved. "This is great!" She faced Bakura with a renewed exuberance. "So let's go now! You've shown me what I needed to know, so we can leave this place!" With a slight bow, she added on, "Thank you!"

Bakura nodded and folded his arms behind his head. "Fine." He found it odd that she was thanking him, the guy who was trying to kill her teacher in the first place. But secretly, he was glad that she did not rub it in. Not being able to obtain the Millennium Ring was no big loss to him because he would gain all of the Items eventually. But to Mana, he knew, the priest's escape was everything to her. She cared for him so much. Bakura felt a strange twinge in his chest.

Suddenly, he recognized it as jealousy. He scowled. That noble should consider himself lucky to have someone being genuinely worried about him. But Bakura had Heka, Rasha, and Hakim. They were enough. They cared about him. Bakura's frown deepened. But he still felt as if something was missing. That he forgot about something.

The air was dusty. Mana held back several coughs that had been fighting to escape from her. Something about the silence was sacred. Then again, maybe there was just something horribly intimidating about a brooding Bakura. They had crossed a stone bridge suspended over a dark, seemingly bottomless pit and were now meandering along a small hallway that she did not recognize. The walls were large granite blocks, each lined up with the next, and each at least two times bigger than her. The floor was made up of smaller stone slabs. One of them sank under Bakura's foot. "Ah… Bakura…?"

"What is it?"

"You just stepped on some button on the ground…"

"Oh." Bakura suddenly remembered where he was. He spun around and yelled at her, "Run back! _Now!_" Mana paused for a second, out of shock, before obeying his orders. That one moment was crucial. Two huge blocks, one on both sides, collided into each other. The brunette had sprang back just before they crushed her. Bakura cursed loudly as two cubes crashed together behind him. Somehow, every time he was with Mahaado's apprentice, something bad always happened. Both of the exits were sealed.

He already knew what kind of trap this was and avoided it last time. Bakura could not believe how careless he was this time. A wall slammed together before him. Bakura stumbled back as dust and sand filled the air. With a glance around his small confinement, the revelation hit him. If any more blocks moved out of their current positions, then the entire hallway would collapse.

And what happened to the girl?

A small voice reached his ears. "Bakura!" Mana called again. _Still alive,_ he thought feverishly. The walls around him trembled. Now or never. Ever. "Diabound!" He did not allow himself a moment's hesitation and rushed forward. His ka would not let him down, and he would get to Mana in time, save both their lives, and he would laugh about this later.

Damn, he had better laugh about it later.

(-)

She whipped her head around, trying to make estimates on which block would move first. Not that it mattered; she would die instantly anyway. Did Bakura abandon her? No, he was trapped like she was. But she had heard a collision from the other side of the wall between the tomb robber and herself. Bakura had the ability to pass through walls, thanks to his ka. He probably left without her. She had been a nuisance to him anyway, so it was expected…

Mana felt angry with herself. Why was she unable to summon her ka? Maybe then, she could rescue herself instead of depending on others so much! _I should've paid more attention to my studies,_ Mana reminded herself bitterly as the two walls at her sides closed in on her. She closed her eyes tightly. _I'm sorry, Master!_

"Ung!" This was not what she had expected. Not at all. Instead of being crushed by two huge rocks, she had the breath knocked out of her lungs by a thief. His shoulder rammed into her stomach, his arms around her waist. Her skin was tingling from the stone whooshing through her. She felt a sudden exhilaration, excitement. She was passing effortlessly through walls! "Ba—Bakura!" she gasped.

"Shut up!" he snarled back, but unless Mana's ears were playing tricks on her, he sounded glad to see her.

Then, the sensation was gone. It was replaced by a new feeling. Bakura's grip had loosened. "Crud," she heard him say. They were in midair. Mana turned and looked down. Her eyes grew bigger and bigger.

"_What happened to the bridge!"_ she shrieked, clinging back onto her white-haired rescuer.

"CRUD!"

And they plunged into the dark chasm.

Mana's arms tightened around his neck. Bakura cringed. Then he heard her whimper softly, almost inaudibly in his ear, "I don't want to die yet." He relaxed. He remembered the phrase, once using it before. Kuru Eruna. Everyone was dying. Maybe that was untrue at the moment when he had uttered it, but it was an easy way to describe the time. They would die soon anyway. So much destruction. The putrid stench of death lingered in the air. Restless spirits, angry and vengeful. All for seven holy relics. Seven bloodstained items…

He was alive.

They passed through the bottom of the so-called bottomless pit.

No, he would not let her die. How could he? Bakura's foot rammed into a wall. His back met the ground forcefully. After a moment of numbness, pain burned down his spine. The room was pitch-black. He stared up at the darkness. He was still alive… He sighed. They were alive.

Mana opened her eyes. Her head rested on Bakura's chest, her mind registering his slowing heartbeat. She rolled off of him. The sandstone floor was cold against her skin. Mana held up her arms above her and wiggled them. "Huh." She sat up, scratching her head. "So… we're okay?"

"Yeah…" Bakura ignored the pain in his back and said, "We're fine." It was probably just scratched up. He would have Heka look at it later. "You're welcome, by the way."

Even though he would not be able to see in the dark, Mana turned her blushing face away. "Y-yes. I was getting to that." She got up and faced him, with an arm stretched out. "Thanks for saving me. So let me help you up!"

Snorting, Bakura swatted her hand away and got up on his own. "Please, if you think you're getting away so easily with that, you're wrong."

"No, I didn't mean it like that!" Mana protested, flushing a darker red. "I just…" She blew a slow, agitated sigh and said, "Fine, never mind!" Bakura smirked and called upon Diabound. His ka's glow illuminated the room. "Well, you could've used Diabound to escape by yourself," Mana started awkwardly and looked away, hiding her smile. "But I'm really grateful that you stayed to rescue me."

He shrugged as he examined the room. "Hmph, yeah." His fingers ran along a beautifully carved box, about the same size as he was in length. He looked around the large chamber. "Looks like they've cleared out everything pretty well. Huh, typical. They left the mummy untouched…"

Gasping, Mana hurried toward him. "Is—is that Pharaoh….?"

Bakura pushed off the lids until he found what he was looking for. He chuckled darkly. "Well, Your Majesty," he murmured to the mummy inside, grabbing one of the white straps of linen that was wrapped around the body of the ruler. "You must be bored. Why don't you come out, and we'll take a ride around the desert, and then we can visit the palace…"

"No, stop!" The brunette's hands flew toward him and clamped onto his arm. She pulled back, but he did not budge. "This is the King of Egypt! Anubis will strike you dead for this! This is wrong!"

He flinched. "'Wrong…?'" he whispered, trembling. His voice was filled with an indescribable rage. Mana stepped back, but Bakura suddenly whirled around and flung her aside. "You know what's wrong?" he roared as she stumbled back. "Storming into a village and killing practically everyone there!"

There was a fanatical gleam in his eyes. She stared, horrified. Mana remembered hearing the name in a conversation between Mahaado and Akunadin. Her mentor had been unusually perturbed for the rest of the day. After pestering him endlessly for a week, he told her that the sacred Ring around his neck held dark origins, as well as the rest of the Items. After another week of her constant questioning, he finally told her the entire story. But how did this thief know that?

Her eyes widened as the simple, yet chilling answer came to her. "You're from that village… Kuru Eruna."

Laughing bitterly, Bakura said, "Oh, so you weren't kept in the dark about it. That's nice." He reverted his attention back to the wrapped body. "Everyone always said he was a great leader, who ruled justly. Heh." He abruptly jerked the former king up out of his casket and shouted, _"So where was justice that day?"_

Akhenamkhanen's cadaver hit the stone floor dully. Mana screamed.

"We've both killed many people," he said, spite coating his words. His head tilted down, and he closed his eyes. "Our actions are caused by our past. He destroyed mine, and I will never forgive it. He is remembered as a wonderful king and father, and I am evil. If that is what society labels me as because I was the one that revealed a dark past the pharaoh tried to cover up, then so be it."

Stepping past the body of her dear friend's father, Mana said quietly, "Evil?" When she received no response, she stopped before Bakura and looked up at his scarred face. "If you were to be judged by the Millennium Items, would they deem you evil, then?" she asked, stretching her arms up to him. "Well, I think so." His eyes opened to narrow slits as her fingertips brushed against his cheeks. They widened at her smile, her hands gently cupping his face. "The Items can sense evil in a person's soul. But the soul itself is not necessarily evil." He allowed her to pull him toward her, and she whispered in his ear, "I'll tell you a secret!"

A grin fought furiously to appear on his face. "And what's that?" It barely succeeded, as the corners of Bakura's mouth twitched.

"Master Mahaado once told me that negative emotions can be evil, too," she said in her childish voice. Bakura smirked. "When too much anger, hatred, and all those other bad feelings build up inside of you, it creates a pure darkness in your soul. And if you allow more anger or hatred in, then—"

"—then the darkness will increase," he finished for her. He laughed inwardly at her surprised expression. "How do you think Diabound became so powerful?" Mana frowned, either confused or apprehensive about the answer to the question. "Hatred fuels his power. And darkness grows and becomes me." With a sadistic smile, Bakura pulled away and stepped over the corpse. Mana was silent. "What's wrong?" he chuckled enigmatically. "Are you afraid of the dark?"

Concerned, Mana said, "But that's not something to be proud of. It'll ultimately make you a bad person; your soul may not be able to come out of it."

"What if I don't what to come out of the dark?" challenged the thief. "What if the darkness is more comforting and understanding than the blinding accusation of light? Tch, why do you automatically draw towards the brilliance?" he asked her, tauntingly. "Are you afraid of getting lost? Or is it just fear of breaking the rules that your kind created? I guess you're not like the jerk lying next to you." Mana scowled, knowing exactly where this was heading. "Hah! You and your nobles… Making up rules in the name of justice and expecting the rest of us to follow them while you don't because you're above the laws. How hypocritical."

_Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen!_ Mana thought in alarm. _Atemu…!_ "Wait, Bakura…!" Mana gasped, her hands reaching until they found his arm. "We can't leave Atemu's father like this!"

"Hmm?" He shrugged casually, as if the whole scenario had never happened. "In my opinion, we should throw him out to the jackals."

"But…"

Bakura walked passed Diabound and stopped, looking over his shoulder to see the girl's thick, brown hair hovering over the mummy. He gave an amused grunt and said, "Why don't _you_ put him back in his coffin?"

Mana gave him a hard look and said, "Okay… Fine!" She intertwined her fingers and pulled them apart. She repeated the process for a couple more minutes and then, just as she was bending down to pick the corpse up, she straightened, grinned, and said sheepishly, "Actually, I don't think I'm strong enough to lift him!" Bakura snorted and walked over to them

"Liar," he said, scooping the dead king up in his arms. "Most of his innards are in canopic jars, anyway!"

"Oh well…" Mana giggled, "since you're already holding him, why don't you place him back in his respectful place?" With that, she pointed to the royal sarcophagus.

He looked at her witheringly and said, "What are you talking about? I'm taking this thing to the jackals!"

"Bakura!"

(-)

At first, Mana woke up in confusion.

Then she remembered what had happened and looked around the room. She was in one of the mud brick houses that made up made up much of outskirts of the city. They housed mostly farmers, who worked by the Nile waters.

She saw Bakura on a nearby bench with a half-eaten piece of bread in his hand. His gaze was directed toward Rasha and Hakim, who were on their bellies and immersed in an arm wrestling match. The teen grunted, his face contorted in concentration. Hakim, who seemed to have been letting him win, unexpectedly rammed the back of Rasha's hand into the ground. Rasha sighed, frustrated, and sat up. "Sorry kid," Hakim said genially, "maybe you should try again in about twelve years."

"Dangit!" he groaned, running his fingers through his matted hair. "At this rate, I'll never beat Bakura!"

"And you never will," the other two men told him almost instantly.

A woman's voice managed to cut through the laughter, "Honestly, do you always have to make such a ruckus? I'm letting you three stay here in my own house, and all you do is eat, sleep, and run off again!" She entered the room. Mana remembered that her name was Heka. A strange name. "I should start charging you for all the food you consume! Speaking of which, who ate the last piece of bread?"

Mana watched, hiding her grin, as Bakura suddenly crammed the remaining bread into his mouth. Unfortunately, he had been too slow. Heka's eyes darted toward him, and she walked up to him, briskly.

"Take your arm away from you mouth," she ordered him, tugging at the crimson sleeve that hid the lower half of his face. "Come on, Bakura—" She closed in on him dangerously. "You know the rules of this house!"

Rasha and Hakim laughed loudly as Bakura tried to fend off the angry Heka. "I get it, I get it!" Bakura's muffled voice boomed out. "All right, woman, I'll buy more bread!" When she was a little farther away from him, he mumbled under his breath, "Geez, why can't you make your own bread like the rest of the women here…"

Apparently, her ears were as sharp as her eyes. Heka whirled around, her unbound hair flying behind her like a cloak. "Well, if you would like to grind the wheat for the flour I need, I suggest you hurry!" she snapped at him. "Because we're not having lunch until you get that bread!"

"But I'm hungry _now!_ " Rasha moaned from behind. Mana's stomach rumbled. Now that he mentioned it, she was hungry, too.

All of them stared at her. Heka was the first to break the silence. "What's she doing in this room?"

Hakim shrugged. "Well, we didn't want to wake you up, and it seemed better to just let her sleep here where we could keep an eye on her in case anything happened," he explained in his calm, reasoning manner.

Heka nodded in approval. "Oh, fine. As long as nothing happened to her… Meanwhile, Bakura, get the bread. And some dates while you're at it." Bakura's eyes widened, as if shocked that she was ordering the King of Thieves around. His most amusing reaction was when Heka suddenly added on, "One more thing. I'd like some kohl." She nodded toward Mana. "And I'm sure Mana would appreciate it, too!"

Mana rubbed at the skin under her eyes. After a quick inspection of her fingers, she realized that most of it had worn off during the night… and day. Judging by the light in the room, she knew it was close to noon.

"I'm not your servant!" retaliated Bakura.

"Well, you owe me for all the salve you used up! How in Ra's name did you get so scratched up?" Bakura growled and, as usual, did not answer her. Mana felt a twinge of guilt; he had gotten hurt when he saved her. After a few more moments of stillness, Heka said, "Bastet, get him."

Bakura jumped back and swatted at something that had lunged at him. It was invisible to Mana. "I'm going! Call your ka off!" Heka obliged, and he was gone.

Rising to her feet, Mana stretched her arms and headed for the door. "I'll go with him," she said as she left without giving the three a chance to protest.

(-)

The bread and dates were bought at what Mana thought was a reasonable price. Bakura, on the other hand, had been grumbling about the lousy cheaters who had sold the food to them. Mana looked down at the bread in her hands and then up at him. "Tell me, Bakura, if you're a thief, then why don't you just steal what you want?"

"Feh, what do you expect us to do with all the gold we steal? Stare at it? I only steal from nobles. And from others if I don't have any money with me. Or if he irked me." The bandit held his dates up to his eyes and snorted. "We were swindled!"

With a frown, Mana said, "Oh what does it matter? You have enough treasure to last four afterlives!"

"Seventeen," Bakura corrected her, albeit a little too proudly in Mana's point of view. "So now we have to get Heka's kohl… Since you wear it all the time, you should know which are good and which aren't." It was more of a commandment than a question.

"Hmmm…" Mana nodded. "By the way… Was that really Heka's ka that she attacked you with? How big was it? What did it look like?" She smiled at him eagerly.

His white eyebrows met. "It's a cat. Why do you ask? Can't you see it?"

Shaking her head, she said, "No, I can't even summon my own ka. So I can't see the ka of others."

His brows rose. "But you saw Diabound. And that scrawny little mage that your priest sent out…" Mana gave an indignant 'hmph!' at his last sentence.

"My master and I have a strong bond," she explained, pressing her palm to her heart. "I can feel his ka, but I'm still unable to see it. As for Diabound…" She gazed up at the blue sky, her chocolate-colored bangs drifted over her eyes. "Your ka is colossal! Even if I can't make out the details, it's more like a white haze." She blushed and said, "So in the tomb, I could barely see you."

_And that's why you clung onto me like the Devourer was after you,_ Bakura concluded, feeling slightly annoyed. But he was unsure why. Maybe it was because her dependency irritated him. Or was it because that was the only reason she had seemed so close to him in the cavern?

"Yay!" Mana said happily and pointed to a stall nearby. "That looks like a good place to buy kohl!"

"What the—How could that stuff be so expensive?"

Chuckling, Mana reassured him, "I'm good at haggling! Stand back and watch!"

True to her word, she was like a demon. Bakura watched in wonder as she and the shopkeeper erupted into a heated dispute in mere seconds. It was interesting to watch for the first few minutes. The woman selling the makeup was starting to look edgy, but Mana was not willing to back down even a little. After that, it grew dull. Mana still had the upper hand. Bakura wandered away, certain that he would find himself back at the stall before Mana was done.

The afternoon sun gleamed down at the people in the bazaar. To some, the heat was unbearable. Bakura noticed several children trudging around lazily after their parents. Some merchants were even closing their shops earlier that day…

_Eh?_ Bakura squinted at a white-robed figure in the distance. It was familiar. He frowned, recognizing the priest. The bearer of the Millennium Ring was coming closer. _Mahaado, was it?_ The thief turned around and raced back to the stall where Mana stood, concluding her argument.

Bakura did not have time to explain, nor did he want to. He just threw Mana over his shoulder and hurried away.

Heka would have to wait for her precious kohl.

(-)

She was not pleased with Bakura's antics, but she was not furious with him. Although, she almost had that storekeeper where she wanted. It would have been a record bargain! Mana wanted to know what that had all been about, but she would have to wait until Heka was through with him. The woman was far from happy.

"For the love of Hathor, what came over you?" she cried, waving her arms above her head angrily. Bakura stood before her, with his arms folded across his chest and his expression apathetic. He was unconcerned. The raven-haired woman's head barely reached his chin. Unless she summoned Bastet, he had nothing to worry about. "Coming back like angry spirits were after you—_what's wrong with you?"_

"Ah, if you want, I could run back and get it for you," Mana offered, raising her shoulders in a barely noticeable shrug.

"Tsk." Heka shook her head. "No, it's fine. Thanks, though. I appreciate it." She beamed at Mana and placed a hand on the girl's head. "It's sweet of you; you're just like a little sister I never had."

Rasha snorted. "First it's brothers she had, and now it's a sister she never had. Really, Heka, we all lost someone, but you're the one that keeps on bringing it up!" Hakim and Bakura gave him frightening glares. Heka, however, just flinched.

"I… I suppose you're right," she said, her voice quavering. All of her vigor seemed to have been zapped out of her. "It's no use bringing up the past. Nothing will come out of it other than sorrow and grief…" Heka pressed her fingers to her lips and said, "'Um… it's okay. I think… Well…" She inhaled a shuddering gasp and headed for her room at a quick pace. "…I need some time alone…"

"Moron!" Bakura yelled at Rasha, clouting him. "Fool! Buffoon! Idiot…"

As Hakim placed his brow in his large hand and as Bakura recited every single synonym for 'stupid' known to man, Mana made her way toward the weeping woman in the next room. She had only known her for a day, but Mana felt indebted to Heka. She had protected her from Bakura enough for Mana to get to know him. She had treated her with nothing but kindness and sisterly love. Yes, Mana was very concerned for her.

"Heka…?" she whispered, peering through the doorway. Heka looked up, her lovely black hair veiled her face. "Are you all right?"

She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Oh, I'm fine…. I-It's nothing; I… overreacted." Mana took a seat next to her on the soft linen covering her bad. "But I guess…" She burst into tears again and buried her face her in hands. "I'm still not over the shock. I wish…" she sobbed, "I wish I could be as strong as Bakura or Hakim… But I can't! I lost everyone I loved. Everything that meant s-so much to me gone within a… a day!"

Mana put a hand on her shoulder, comfortingly. She was not sure what Heka was talking about, but the answer was obvious enough. "Kuru Eruna?" she asked, leaning closer. "Is that what you're talking about?" Heka nodded pathetically. "Oh…" A hard lump welled up in her throat. "I'm sorry… I know what happened to everyone in the village was unfair… But I'm sure the pharaoh had a reason… a good reason…"

"To protect the…kingdom," Heka whispered. "A magic book… Power to protect Egypt…"

The brown-haired girl stayed silent.

"But… it was no big loss to the nobles," said Heka cynically, her voice growing stronger. "Kuru Eruna was only a city of thieves. It must've been nice… nice to get rid of all of them… Hakim's family, Rasha's father, my brothers…" She sighed sadly. "Bakura's innocence."

"What do you mean…?"

Smiling forlornly, the woman answered her, "He had to watch his entire village being slaughtered. He saw so much blood, so much gore… _He_ was the one that lost truly everything." Mana shook her head in disbelief. Heka placed a hand on Mana's brown cheek. Her eyes held a pained sorrow in them. "Dear child," she said softly. "No one else in the village lived to tell the tale. Other than him…"

"But you… Rasha… Hakim…!"

"I…" said Heka, her eyes misting over, "was in this city when it happened. I had come in hopes of becoming a priestess. Maybe apprenticing a priest, like you did. My parents died when I was little, leaving my eldest brother in charge of his younger siblings, including me. They had encouraged me, seeing that I was skilled magic. I left them, promising I would make an honest living." She sighed again and went on, "Rasha's mother left his father when he was still in her womb. She wanted him to lead a good life, too, but I guess Rasha decided to walk in his father's footsteps anyway, especially after he heard of his fate. And Hakim… He lost his wife, his children… He only escaped their fate because he was taking some wares to sell in a bigger city…"

Stunned, Mana said quietly, "So absolutely no one else whatsoever lived…?" Her voice had all but left her. It was hard for her to believe. She had thought that the four of them had all made it out. "No one except for Bakura."

Heka nodded grimly. "Not even the children were spared. Bakura hid himself and was the sole survivor of Kuru Eruna." Then, with another sigh, she flattened herself on her bed with her hands under her chin. "But on the brighter side, that was how I had met him. Then, we met Hakim and lastly Rasha when his mother died from a fever. But anyway, when I first met Bakura, I was about your age, and I went back to Kuru Eruna as quickly as I could after I heard rumors about an entire village being destroyed. I found him sitting there hugging his legs close to him… He must have been there for days, not eating, sleeping… Just there…" Heka propped her head up with her arms. Mana sat rigidly, feeling warmth drain from her as the woman beside said wistfully, "…absorbing all the hatred, anger, fear, dread, injustice… All those horrible feelings that had lingered in the air just brewing within him.

"He was so small… probably half my age. Poor thing, it took him forever to open up. And after that, all he had in his mind was getting revenge, killing the pharaoh and his priests, all that. It was awful, hearing such hateful words coming from a little boy—he was so small…! And now he's all grown up. He always spoke of it with true conviction. There's no reasoning with him anymore. He can't see past it; it's hopeless for him now…"

Mana held back tears. When she had first met Bakura, she felt the hatred inside of him. She felt it again, when they were in the tomb, except it had grown stronger. If his hatred increased that quickly, it was no wonder Diabound had grown to be such a monster. "So…" Mana swallowed hard. "What's going to happen to him…?"

"Bakura…?" Heka stared straight ahead as if seeing through the wall in front of her and into the future. Mana thought that she could have become Priestess Isis' apprentice. "Bakura will stop at nothing to obtain the Items forged from our villagers' deaths. And when he does, the world will fall into decadence. He will, most likely, bring on the end of everything."

"But that can't be!" Mana cried, jumping to her feet. "He can't destroy the entire world!"

Shaking her head, Heka said, "Oh, I know that. Someone will stop him. But he'll never give up. Until the last moment before eternal death claims him." She paused, her voice grieving. "_That_ is when he'll realize that he will not succeed."

(-)

She had been avoiding eye contact with him ever since she went to talk with Heka. Bakura had noticed. He stood outside behind the house, leaning on its firm, mud brick wall and wondering what Heka could have possibly told Mana. Was it his side of the Kuru Eruna tragedy?

"Um… Bakura?"

He looked to his left to see Mana walking toward him. "Heka… told me what happened. All of it…" Bakura nodded. He was such a good guesser. "And she's also worried about you."

"About my evilness?" he asked, smirking.

"About your evilness," Mana confirmed. Yes, he was a great guesser. "She says if you continue to strive for the Millennium Items, then all you will experience is trouble. Strife." Bakura blinked. He had not known that. But why would Heka keep her thoughts on him secret? Did she not trust his judgement? Did she think that he would do something rash that would end in disaster? "And I'm worried about that, too."

Glowering at her, he spat, "What does she know? What do you know? You don't think like me, so how could you predict what will happen to me if you don't know what I'll do?" He was growing very defensive, and Mana knew what Heka said was true. There was no reasoning with this guy.

Mana sighed and turned her face to the night sky. The dark blue blanket dotted with shimmering stars. Gazing at them gave her hope. "The sky goddess is so beautiful," she whispered, her eyelids closing slightly. Her heart cried for the bandit standing by her, but it was hopeless. And yet, all she could say was, "Her dress is the gorgeous night sky."

Bakura heard grief in her voice. She was attempting to hide it, but it cut through him like a knife. Mana was a strange girl. He frowned, unable to understand her. At the beginning, he had wanted revenge against her; she was one of the pharaoh's friends, so she was no different from the rest of the priests. Now, their relationship had changed so drastically.

She pitied him, and he did not like that. But that showed how much she cared. Even after he had tried to kill her teacher, she still spoke to him warmly. She still smiled at him. The shadows on his face deepened as his scowl intensified. There was a strange feeling in his chest that seemed to eat away at him, seemed to drive him crazy. What was it about her?

Mana spun around, her arms stretched out at her sides. Her eyes were sparkling in the moonlight. Her laughter forced but warm.

That was it.

Kindness. After Kuru Eruna had been destroyed, Bakura had blocked out all feelings and emotions other than hatred. Even Heka had been unable to penetrate through this wall, despite her efforts to. But Mana had been able to. There was something about her childishly pure sincerity that seemed to awaken the child in him, the part of him that was willing to forgive.

"_How could he not fall in love with her?"_

He closed his eyes, and then opened them again. "What?"

"'How could he not fall in love with her?'" Mana repeated, surprised. "Geb, the god of earth, fell in love with Nut, the sky goddess… Weren't you listening?"

"Oh…" was all Bakura could manage. "That."

Grinning, Mana reached up, stretching her arms to their limits. "Don't you wish you could touch those stars? Eh?" Strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her feet off the ground. Mana jerked her head around to see Bakura's face level with hers. "…"

He smiled at her. Unlike his traditional, condescending grin that he seemed to always have plastered on his face, this one was genuine, not threatening. He was not a big scary man that she had clobbered with a vase anymore; he seemed human. "Try, then," he murmured, his breath tickling her ear, "Steal the stars."

She shook her head, laughing. Mana was content with her head resting on his shoulder. The goddess of the sky could keep her jewels.

(-)

Mana leapt off the black horse as the sun rose. Bakura had dropped her off just beyond the palace walls. "So goodbye, then?" she asked. Bakura said nothing. "Then…" Mana's hands untied the leather string around her neck and held the ends up to Bakura. A white heart weighed down the middle of the string. "Here, take this."

Bakura took it and held it to his eyes. The stone heart dangled from his hand. "Heh." He tossed the necklace back to her. "You can buy these at the bazaar for minimum price," he told her.

"Yes, but," Mana said, looking crestfallen as she caught it. "But would you take it as a keepsake?"

"I don't need to."

Her head tilted to one side, like she was wearing a heavy earring on one ear. "Really? Why not?"

As the sun's golden beams illuminated the desert land, Bakura grinned. "Because I'll see you within the week." Mana's face brightened instantly. He gave her a quick nod and then urged the horse into a gallop. "Hyah!"

"Mana! Is that you?" Atemu's voice rang out across the courtyard. She turned around to see the pharaoh and her teacher running toward her.

When she looked back, Bakura had disappeared.

* * *

R&R! 


	4. Running From Your Problems

The Stolen Heart

By Anime-2000

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!. :D If I did, I would have totally changed the ending.

Arewordsspacedlikethis? Tried to fix it. Honest, I have!

It's true. Anime-2000 is still alive. And is slowly recovering from writer's block. Blegh, I should've written down all the relationships and such before starting on this chapter. So, blame my laziness if perspectives are messed up. Also, I didn't get much time to proofread and kinda hurried through it. (Why am I updating it, then?) Please forgive me for that, too.

Baku/Mana is an ultra-rare pairing? No doubt about it! I googled it and got _nothing!_ Except for a couple of fanfics, mine being one of them. I guess it's mainly because the idea is pretty much impossible. XD

* * *

Bakura scowled as he circled around his Diabound. "Tch…" His god was different. 

But he already knew that. After all, his ka was always evolving. Today… Today, that was not the case. Usually, he would feel that powerful emotion of hatred growing in his heart. That beautiful hate was what gave Diabound its strength, its form. Bakura enjoyed watching his guardian spirit transform; he found pleasure in seeing his own emotions shape his creation. Diabound depended on him as much as he depended on it.

But something was different today.

It was as if that power was slipping.

He called his ka back and, with one last huffy sigh, he sat down where he stood. He regretted that decision. Amun-Ra was being exceptionally cruel today as he sent his blistering rays down upon the desert sands. Egypt was so hot this morning. Almost unbearably.

Bakura sighed and wished that Heka would let him back in the house.

So what if he broke her mirror? She had a dozen more—all exact duplicates; every single one was identical right down to their golden-gilded frames. With a low growl, he cursed her vanity. And obstinacy. And fickleness. He hunched over his legs as he racked his brain for more Heka traits that he could condemn. There was just no reasoning with that woman.

"Hmmm…" But back to Diabound. What was wrong with Diabound?

The soft sound of a small foot sinking in the sand behind him caught his attention. His great beast sprang out from him in a white flourish to defend against the intruder. Heka's surprised shriek kept Bakura from allowing his ka to completely eradicate her. For a split second, he almost wanted to. Through gritted teeth, he shook that thought out of his head with a "Tch." _It's the hatred talking,_ he reminded himself before getting up to face her.

The ebony-haired woman had her hands pressed to her mouth. He laughed as Diabound retreated behind him. "I'm allowed back in, then?"

Heka lowered her hands to her side and gave him a stern look. With an unimpressed "humph!", she strode over to him. "And here I was, ready to apologize, and you go and spring that _monster_ on me!"

"Diabound is a _god_," Bakura corrected her heatedly. Odd. Already, he was growing tired of bickering. His brain had been baking in the sun for far too long.

Heka rolled her eyes impatiently. "Anyway, I came to call you in for lunch." Bakura made no effort to reply and walked past her. Heka stood silently for a moment as she watched Diabound return to its master. "Bakura…?" Her voice held a concerned curiosity to it. "Have you noticed a change in Diabound lately?"

Bakura winced inwardly at her observation. On the outside, his face had a dark frown etched on it. "What about it?"

Sighing, she said, "Nothing." She shook her head and repeated, "Nothing. Maybe I was just seeing things."

That's what he hated about her. Whenever she saw some major flaw concerning him, she would always hide her knowledge. He wondered why. Was it because she thought that he, Bakura, was incapable of taking criticism? Was she afraid that he would do something stupid to prove her wrong? How insulting.

Without appropriate reason nor thought, he turned back around and snapped at her, "What do you see? _What's wrong with it?"_ Heka was startled by his sudden brusque reply. Realizing his blunder, he apologized stiffly and said again through clenched teeth, "What do you think is wrong with Diabound?"

She studied him for an impossibly long time. The white-haired thief was had almost been positive that she was trying to read his mind, had she not suddenly said, "What do you think about?"

He blinked stupidly at her question. What did he think about? "What do I…? What's that have to do with anything?" he demanded, an annoyed expression appearing on his face. Heka raised a darkened brow, and Bakura shrugged. "Fine, _revenge._ Obviously. You know that. And right now, I'm hungry. I'm thinking about food."

As he was about to go back into the house, she grabbed his arm and stopped him. "What _else_?" she asked. Bakura gave her a quizzical look. She gave a long, exasperated sigh and said, "I _know_ you do not have a mind like Rasha's! You are more complex—you are _Bakura._" When he said nothing, she pressed on, "Do you think about that girl, Mana?"

In an instant, he had jerked his arm away from her. Before he could retort, she said, firmly,_ "Maybe that's why your ka is weakening."_

It was as if someone had punched him square in the jaw. "W—What?"

"You care about her," Heka stated simply. As Bakura opened his mouth to deny it, she continued, "And I don't care how, dear, but it's more than you love us." She did not seem hurt by this fact. Actually, she seemed happy. Heka smiled at him. "And that is enough to push some of the hatred out of your heart."

Glowering at her, Bakura said, "Are you saying what I think you are…?"

"Only if you're thinking that that compassion in your heart is what's turning Diabound back to its original form," Heka said, placing her hands on his broad shoulders. "After all, your ka is powered by that hatred, right? It grows from it. And that love, however small it may be, weakens your hatred. And without that negative emotion, Diabound starts to… _un_evolve."

"Impossible!"

She clapped her hands together and said, cheerfully, "Oh, I'm ecstatic!"

Shaking his head slowly, Bakura murmured, "But I… That can't… What can I do…?"

Heka twirled around and laughed, "I haven't the slightest clue, but I _do_ know that you won't die a horrible, spitefully cruel death that I was positive you would suffer now that you're going down this road!" Bakura stared at her witheringly. She was giggling like a girl. It reminded him of Mana… Oh no—wait—it did _not!_ It did not remind him of her! He was not thinking about her! "And not only that, you're healing so well, too! Everything's working out perfectly!" She patted his head lightly and straightened his white, spiky locks of hair.

He was still numb with disbelief as the short woman skipped back inside.

Bakura fell to his knees. His mind did not seem to register the scorching ground anymore. All he could think of was what Heka had told him. _It couldn't be…_ he thought desperately. _Kuru Eruna… I have to avenge it… Diabound can't weaken… I can't!_ All this new information was spinning around his mind at dizzying speed. "D-dammit." Bakura laughed softly. What was he supposed to do now?

With all his strength, he smashed his fists into the sand before him and let his forehead rest on the hot sand. His skin burned. "Yeah… Just damn perfect…"

(-)

Mahaado, too, had noticed a change. But it was in his student. Mana had become more and more withdrawn lately, often choosing to spend her free time by herself in her room rather than with her friends. Even when Atemu had offered to play with her, she only smiled and politely declined. Afterwards, he found her sighing languorously as she walked around the palace halls aimlessly.

She would look up every once in a while and scan her surroundings vaguely before drifting back off in her own little world again. She spent time inside and out, but she always seemed to be looking for someone. Waiting for someone.

Who could it be?

He wondered whom she was expecting to see every time her eyes darted up and out a window during her lessons. Every once in a while, Mahaado would follow her on one of her walks without her knowledge. She passed by every single person she knew in the palace without so much as a glance at him or her. They were not the ones she was seeking.

The holder of the Millennium Ring grew concerned. His mind was pushing back the final possibility, but it soon broke through his mental barriers:

It was Bakura.

What could have happened between them for her to be awaiting his arrival so anxiously? Mana never did tell him. She failed to answer Atemu's questions, too. That was rare. Mahaado watched her from behind with silent worry as she rested her arms on the balcony railing.

Mana did not look back, but only sighed as she said, "Master, are you there?" Mahaado said nothing. Finally, Mana peered over her shoulder to see her teacher standing several meters away. He did not move or make any sign of embarrassment of being caught following her. She never expected him to. Smiling slightly, she asked him with a shadow of her former mischief, "Am I late to my next lesson, Master Mahaado?"

With a vague shake of his head, he brushed away her little concern with a simple "Not yet." Mana turned her head back around as he walked forward, finally stopping at her side. "But it does, in a way, bring me to this topic: I have been observing a deviation in your daily routines…"

Her eyes fell on her teacher, sliding from his face to the golden Ring hanging from his neck. Even if his eyes were not directed toward her, she could not bring herself to meet them; Mana felt less comfortable with him than she had ever felt before. "And what's that?"

"Your thoughts are wandering towards that thief."

In an instant, her face was tinged with pink, and she suddenly became entranced with a blemish on her shoulder. "What thief?"

"Bakura."

"What—" Mana caught herself and turned away. She cleared her throat and, with more respect, asked, "What do you mean by that, Master?"

Raising his brows, the priest turned to her. By the way she was answering with questions, he could tell that she was trying to dodge his own. Did she honestly think that he would not catch on? Fine, he would go straight to the point. "You like him, don't you?"

Frowning, Mana wanted to face him and ask, snappishly, "That's none of your business!" But she held it back; it would be foolish. She would have seemed too defensive, and Mahaado was not the one to blame for her confused feelings. Besides, she did not quite understand _his_ point of view yet. How stupid would she look if she began shouting at him for something she did not understand? "What's wrong with him? Is he really a horrible person?"

Again with the questions, Mahaado noted as he brought a hand to his face. His fingers cupped his chin as he said, pensively, "You know what I mean, Mana, don't you? I'm not fully denouncing him just yet. Although, I do wonder about where his thoughts lie. What does he perceive the world and us as?"

That was it? Mana had expected something different… Cheering up at his words, she said, "Bakura told me that royalty was a fantasy. He said that _true_ reality dealt with death and hardships. But… I do know that royalty has its difficulties, too… Like Atemu being betrothed to one of his cousins… He doesn't even like her!"

"We're digressing, Mana," Mahaado said with a wave of a hand, as if brushing the pharaoh's problem away, and leaned closer to her. "What else did he tell you?"

"He says…" Mana scowled as she tried to recall her experiences with the Thief King. She looked up at the man with her sad eyes. "He also said that because he's trying to bring up the crime that Atemu's father tried to hide, he's labeled as evil…." With a sudden fervor, she added on, "But I told him what you once said to me, about emotions and their power!"

Mahaado smiled behind his hand. At least Mana had paid attention to his lessons. "And you think that is the source of his power?"

Gloomily, she replied, "Master, you know that as well as I do! Before yesterday, I knew almost nothing about him, and you would only give me the basic facts!"

Mahaado gave her a small, guilty smile, allowing Mana that victory.

She continued, "Infinite hatred like his is powerful. It's really bad, I know, but I think he likes it. Even if we try, I don't know what will happen… He's beyond hope, isn't he?"

"Well, who wouldn't want such power?" Mahaado asked her, lowering his hand to the banister. "When revenge is the goal, a person could go through extreme torment just to avenge someone or something."

"You sealed away your power, Master," Mana said, smiling slightly at him. "You did that to prevent the _evil_ power of the Ring from escaping! But Bakura…?"

He answered, "Bakura and I are two completely different people, Mana."

Looking down at her clasped hands, Mana said quietly, "Okay, I know… but I don't want something bad to happen to him. He was a good person. Then that aversion took control of him, and it's destroying him from the inside out." She pulled her palms apart and rested her head on them. "But he's really not a bad person. I mean… At least he brought me home, right?"

Nodding, Mahaado placed a hand fondly on her head and said, "I know. But past experiences shape the man the child will grow into. Even if he isn't evil, the memories that haunt him are. Either ways, I won't allow a thief to harm our pharaoh. Atemu is your friend; you must understand that such—"

Mana clapped her hands together and gasped. "Atemu!" Mahaado made no reaction to his apprentice's sudden outburst. He stood patiently next to her as she babbled on, "Oh, I forgot about him completely! He must be angry with me! I gotta go find him…" She turned to him and gave a quick, hasty bow and bolted off.

Sighing, the priest called after her, "Mana!" The girl looked back but did not slow her pace. "You can do that _after_ your lesson!"

"Muh—my _what?"_ Mana asked bluntly. He had to be joking. Then again, when did Priest Mahaado joke about his student's lessons?

"Ahead of you!"

Blinking in confusion, she turned her head back around just as she stumbled into one of the large pots in the hallways. She promptly fell in, headfirst. "Ooh! Ow!" The holder of the Millennium Ring closed his eyes and massaged his temples as Mana's legs kicked helplessly above her.

Inside the pot, Mana mumbled angrily to herself as she straightened her dress. An embarrassed scowl appeared on her red face as she asked sheepishly, "Ah… Master?"

(-)

He glared at her and then turned his head back around as he headed for the door. "Bakura, stop!" Heka grabbed the hood of his overcoat and yanked back. Not having expected that, the man fell backwards and into her. He should have seen it coming, though. "You're acting like a child!" She pushed him upright and spun him around to face her.

Again, she was met with a baleful glower. "Ah, so what are you supposed to be? My mother?"

That blatant insult did it. Heka looked hurt. She bit the insides of her lips and cast her gaze downwards to their feet. "No… But I thought I was the closest thing you had to a mother since that… _day…"_ There was really no word to describe the day when the Millennium Items were forged. Painful memories arose whenever they tried to label it, so that _day_ was left unnamed. It simplified life a little and made their losses a little easier to bear. "I mean… Bakura, for Isis' sake, I raised you…"

Snarling, he pushed her back. It absolutely infuriated him whenever she would weaken to his callous remarks about her maternal abilities. He wanted her to put up a fight, to yell back at him like she used to, when he was younger. Why couldn't she stick her face in his and threaten to throw him out if he kept on being an ingrate?

Now, she would back down whenever the situation became too tense. Her weakness made it impossible to release all that pent up rage building inside of him.

"Well, it doesn't matter _anyway!" _he told her, his hands hovering before him as if he were unsure what to do with them. He just stared at them. "I steal and hurt. I steal, hurt, and kill. Don't you see? I've killed so many people that I don't even hesitate anymore when a life—other than my own—is in danger because of my actions!"

Her mouth was a straight line, keeping the protest behind her sealed lips. Bakura smirked bitterly. Well, Heka did not need to know what happened in the tomb.

"And none of that is your fault." Heka shook her head slowly, as if uncomprehending. Bakura continued calmly, "It's not your fault because this is what I choose to be. Don't tell me you've forgotten, Heka, that I swore to avenge Kuru Eruna. If I had allowed you to replace my mother, my hatred would have _never_ been able to be grow so rapidly; that wound would have healed without so much as a scar, and Diabound would never have been the god that it is now."

"You fool!" Heka shrieked at him.

_That's right. Fight back._ His smile grew as she bombarded him with her rage.

"This is why you will suffer! It's because you're so _STUPID_!" She stepped forward and struck his face with a loud slap. "Why do you have to be so damn stubborn?" Heka cried and lowered her arm. "The gods have given you a new chance! If I hadn't found you, your dead carcass would probably still be rotting in Kuru Eruna!"

Feeling no remorse whatsoever, Bakura yelled back, "I never _wanted_ to be rescued! I felt at peace! All that trauma obliterated all of my sanity! Everything around me changed! How did you expect me— And then you come along and try to 'save' me—and this is what happens! I realized that this is my destiny—"

Another slap was swiftly delivered to the other side of his face. _"Destiny?"_ screeched the black-haired woman. "Destiny is the gods' will! You were _destined_ to be saved! Sure, I come along, and that's a coincidence. But what about that girl? You can't tell me that _that_ was a coincidence!"

As he pressed a hand against his reddening skin, he said dangerously, "Don't you dare bring her into this, woman. I don't care about her. Plain and simple."

"Liar." Heka snorted, "I've told you that she is the reason your hatred keeps ebbing away. Maybe you weren't _destined_ to avenge our village."

It was all Bakura could do to keep himself from striking her. Heck, he had her shoulder clenched tightly in his hand, with the other first drawn back behind him. He should have, seeing how she landed two blows on him in less than two minutes.

"Go on!" Heka spat, giving him a clearly disgusted glare. "Hit me!"

But after all these years, he supposed he really did owe Heka a great debt, even if it was unwillingly. He let go of her and allowed his other arm to fall limply at his side. "The only thing that's keeping me from reaching my full potential is you. All of you. This feeling that's always hampered me… _That_ is your fault. Yours, Rasha's, Hakim's…" He shrugged and turned around. "And _maybe_ that brat's…"

"_Love_, you mean?" Heka laughed bitterly. "Love is not a bad thing."

"It's getting in my way," he said coolly, and walked out the door. "I don't need it, and I don't need _you._ I don't want to see _any_ of you again."

(-)

"Were you hurt?"

Mana snorted indignantly at Atemu's question. She had come to the marketplace to take her mind _off_ of that humiliating debacle, not be interviewed by the Great Pharaoh _about_ it. "No," she told him firmly and sped up, walking ahead of him.

Atemu smiled and pulled his white hood down further over his golden bangs. He had managed to tame that wild hair of his and bind it down into a thick ponytail. His outfit was what a common merchant would wear. Even Mana had to admit that it was impressive how he had not blown his cover yet. "Oh." His grin widened, and he caught up to her. "In that case, it was funny!"

Shaking her head fiercely, she cried, "No, it was not!" Her face her flushed into a darker shade of pink as she turned to him. "How can you be so mean, Atemu?"

Her voice had risen in volume. Commoners were beginning to look in their direction. Murmurs had started to float into Atemu's ears. The young pharaoh placed his hands on his friend's mouth. "Mana, please stop. You're going to blow my cover." Mana sighed angrily and nodded, signaling that she would submit just this once. Laughing heartily, Atemu looked back at their audience and waved an arm at them. "Just a lover's quarrel. Nothing to see here! Move along."

When the disappointed spectators had dispersed, Mana gave her king a strange look. "I wish you wouldn't say that…"

His eyes widened slightly at the comment. "What do you mean, Mana?" he asked, a look of genuine bewilderment replacing his smile. "That's what we always say when we attract too much attention here."

It was one of their many, beloved inside jokes, but when he said it this time, Mana felt uneasy. She felt as if she were betraying someone. She frowned. Bakura? She looked up at the azure sky. _No…_ Curse this blush that was creeping across her face!

So why, then, was he constantly invading her mind?

"You don't look well." Atemu's concerned expression replaced the thief's smirking face. The brunette bit her lower lip. "Should we head back to the palace?"

She frowned. "No, it's nothing…"

How odd; she saw him again. Bakura. Why was he appearing everywhere she looked? Mana rubbed her eyes and tried to clear her mind. When she looked up again, Bakura was still there. Her jaw dropped. But he paid no attention to her. She wanted to yell out his name. Mana wanted to wave her arms and get his attention.

But she could not when the pharaoh was standing right in front of her. You know, the pharaoh standing in front of her that had just seen her face blanche. "Mana, what's wrong?"

The Thief King had disappeared. "It—it's nothing!" Mana shook her head, but the movement seemed mechanical.

"Is there something behind me—?"

"NO!" shrieked Mana just as he was back to turn back. She gently pushed him aside and rushed forward. "Sir!" she called back to him, remembering to withhold Atemu's name this time. "I'm so sorry—I'll explain later, I promise!"

And just like that, she disappeared into the crowd. Atemu shook his head slightly in disbelief. What was wrong with that girl?

(-)

He was there. He was there! She saw him this time—she was positive that it was him! But where did he go? Mana came to a halt and looked around frantically. There were so many people. Where was he?

A flash of crimson caught her eye. Mana jerked her head around to see the familiar red coat, but bustling merchants immediately blocked her view. "Bak—" She hesitated as she stepped back to avoid collision. Was it him? For a split second, she was unsure. But if the abeyance held out any longer, she would lose him in the throng of storekeepers and customers.

She gave a low, irritated growl. That was _not_ going to happen. She breathed in deeply and shouted out, "BAKURA!"

For the briefest of moments, she saw him one more time: the white-haired, arrogant thief with the white crossed scar under his right eye. He stared back at her with this inexplicably stunned expression on his face. This time, she would not let him out of her sight. Mana rushed forward, shoving past the many faceless strangers that were in between them. He was right in front of her. He stood mere inches away. She reached her arms out and wrapped them around him in a tight embrace.

The tomb raider gasped as her body collided with his. He staggered back and looked down at the brown mass of hair. "Y—you… Mana." He gaped at the girl as she looked up at him.

"You lied!" she hissed, her face twisting into a hurt frown. "You said you'd see me within a week, Bakura! I waited for nine days!" As she was about to pull away, he held her closer to him.

"Tch." He gave her a scornful look. "Why would you trust _me?"_ Mana listened to the low laugh rumble from his chest and out his mouth. "Stupid girl." There was a fondness in his voice that made her immediately forgive his words. After all, Bakura had difficulties saying anything affectionate without making it seem condescending.

Squeezing her eyes shut tight, Mana replied, "Why would you lie to me?"

"Isn't that what I'm good for?" he asked sarcastically. An embarrassed sigh escaped from Bakura and he pushed her away. "Don't start crying on me now." Mana just laughed and rubbed at her eyes vigorously with the backs of her hands. "Seriously, it annoys the hell out of me because I don't know what to do."

"Okay, okay…" Mana beamed at him. "I'm just glad to see you. Really glad."

Bakura's eyes softened for the briefest moment before hardening again as he responded, "Bah."

(-)

Mana reached out. Bakura snorted at the expression on her face. True, there was no one there to see them. Heka was not home. He was beginning to regret that argument he had with her and hoped that she had not actually relayed his message to Rasha and Hakim. The two men were nowhere to be seen. That was not a good sign. (Not that it bothered him, of course.) "What in Horus' name are you doing?" he snapped as she took a step closer to Diabound.

"Am I touching it? Your ka?"

"Oh. Still can't see Diabound yet, can you?"

Shaking her head, Mana admitted, "Okay, not yet. But I'm close. The shape is defining. I can see hazy wings… A snake…?" Bakura's ka looked down at the girl with apathetic disinterest. She did not seem to pose a threat to Bakura, and she emitted no dangerous aura. The magic within her had great potential but was not fully tapped into yet. Diabound's wings flapped lethargically as Mana's fingertips brushed against its lower, snake half.

She knew she had made contact immediately. Pleased with herself, Mana giggled and held her hands out to the great white spirit. "Hello!" she called out to it. "I'm Mana!"

Her magic was strengthening. Even now Bakura felt the power within her growing stronger and stronger. He was surprised that she had not already surpassed the priest who held the Millennium Ring that he so desired. She could pose a serious threat to him in the future… But then again, he doubted it. She would not be his enemy… would she?

But first, she had to improve before her magic would concern him. Besides, he did not think she would turn on him… Still… He asked her, "Hey, you're trying to be a magician, aren't you?" Mana's eyes widened in surprise at his sudden question, and she nodded. "You're not working very hard, are you?"

Her cheeks darkened into a shade of red. "I do work hard!" she snapped at him and made an immature face at him. "I guess…" Sighing, she shrugged with a look of sheepish sadness on her countenance. "Sometimes, my mind drifts off." Mana shrugged again and almost comically, said, "Oh well!"

He watched her with silent interest. As much as he hated to admit it, he did feel an attraction to this girl. Bakura sighed. Could Heka be right about him? That was the one thing he refused to admit. He could not go back to her and say, 'Hey, ya know, you were right. Sorry 'bout all that… Let's be friends again!' He shuddered mentally that the thought.

"Don't get me wrong—I… I really wanna be a mage—a sorcerer, like—like Master Mahaado!" Mana suddenly spoke up again. Bakura blinked and then rolled his eyes at the name. Why does that damn priest come up in almost every single one of their conversations? She laughed softly and stepped away from Diabound. "Although… I just realized that I'm kinda scared to be a full-fledged magician. There's so many things that I have to do. And I don't know how I'm going to cope or understand everything. My aspiration is to be a priestess… But the idea itself is just so… overwhelming…! I still have so much to learn!"

Grinning mischievously, he asked her, "Will you be judging the souls of sinners, too?"

"I guess I might have to…"

Bakura chuckled and said, "Just because you're a magician doesn't mean you have to be a priestess." Mana's face was a picture of confusion. "Oh, come on!" he said encouragingly albeit impatiently. "What do you think Heka is?"

Shaking her head fervently, the brunette exclaimed, "No, no! I know that I don't have to be a priestess in order to know magic, but…" Her face was flushed, her eyes were open and sparkling. Bakura smiled at the ambivalence that her face displayed. She seemed so vulnerable. He wanted to protect that expression. That face. That girl. Mana. "What are you… saying, exactly?"

"Hmmmm…"

_Feh, it's not like I had to come back. _Bakura stared at the small house, which Heka called home. _I don't belong here anymore. Not after what I said to her…_ If Heka came back at that moment, he would have a hard time explaining what he was doing at her house with Mana at his side.

"Bakura?"

But he should leave soon. He could take Mana with him… could he not? Bakura looked down at her. "Do you really want to stay languishing in that palace?"

Mana could not believe what she was hearing. Was Bakura actually impying…? "I wouldn't mind… terribly…Why?"

"Didn't you say that you're afraid to be a priestess? And you still think that you have a lot to learn, right?" he asked, smiling rather deviously. Mana's brows met.

"I didn't mean it like that."

He knew that she was no fool. But he also knew that she was waiting for him to broach the question that both of them had on their minds. "I've done some thinking about leaving this godforsaken place, stealing from foreign tombs, you know? May pose more of a challenge." Mana giggled. "They say you learn most from traveling… so what do you say? Wanna run away with me?"

(-)

Quickly. She had to get there before anyone caught her. Mana sighed a silent, aggravated sigh. Although she wanted to reach her destination as soon as possible, she had to make sure her movements were light and soft. In the dark, tranquil halls, her footsteps seemed so loud. Mana grimaced, feeling as if the sound echoed so piercingly that everyone in the palace would hear her.

_Still, Bakura must have had an even harder time avoiding suspicion… With Diabound and all…_ she tried to reassure herself. Somehow, it failed to help. _Not like he would even care about it!_ Mana thought anxiously, remembering the Thief King's personality.

Blunt. That was Bakura. If he felt he was superior to his opponents (and not just playing with them) he would go right up to them and challenge them right then and there. The direct approach was dangerous, but that obviously did not faze Bakura. His ka was nearly invincible, he himself was a strong fighter, and fear was not something that got in his way.

It was true that Mana admired this, but it was also somewhat of a bane. She was amazed that Heka's long, lustrous black hair was not already streaked with gray and white from years of dealing with Bakura's escapades.

Why were her footsteps so loud? It sounded like there was someone else running with her! Her breath caught, and her idle thoughts left her instantly. She backtracked a few steps, but there was nowhere to hide. The second set of footsteps stopped, too.

A cool, nervous sweat formed on her skin. Slowly, she looked back over her shoulder. Her dark eyes widened at the sight of her young king. "A—Atemu…!"

She was met with an equally surprised expression. In the dim light of the moon, she could barely make out his features, but she could tell that he had been following her since that meeting all of the priests, including the pharaoh, attended adjourned. That was when she had left. Initially, she had stayed because she wanted to speak with Mahaado one last time before she left, but at the last possible moment, she decided against it. What was she supposed to say, anyway?

His reply was far from brilliant. But it still brought a blush to Mana's cheeks. "Mana…" he said, almost exasperatedly. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Well, umm…" His Mahaado impression was flawless. He even had Mana stammering to explain herself. "Okay… Atemu, you're probably not going to understand anyway if I tell you to see this in my perspective, so I'll be honest…"

He frowned. "What are you talking about?" Mana grinned and looked up. Atemu knew she would not reveal this little secret that she had been hiding ever since she had come back that afternoon. "Come on, you promised me you would tell me what was going on!"

"Mmn…" Mana wanted to turn around and run, but Atemu's stare held her where she stood. He was pharaoh, okay. He was also her dear friend. And she did promise him… She ran it past him hastily, "Fine, here it is: I know you think I'm crazy for this and you'll probably tell Master Mahaado, but it'll way too late when you do because I'm leaving now with Bakura, and everything'll be okay because think about-if I take Bakura away, you won't have to worry about him raiding any more tombs here, and I know he's Master's main concern, seeing how skilled Bakura is at his work-and I'm going to miss everyone here, you, Master, but…but…" Mana floundered there and finally closed her mouth.

Atemu blinked and said, "Okay… Wait…. What do you mean you're leaving with Bakura…?" He stepped forward, as if afraid she would run away before he had a chance to oppose her decision. "The guy's dangerous! And a criminal! How can you possibly think of running away with him? You only know him for so long, and then you just choose _him_ over us—me, Mahaado… _all of us?"_

Mana wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "I know I sound selfish and stupid…" Atemu froze, confused and hurt. As he opened his mouth, she let go and said firmly, "but I do want to stay with Bakura." The tri-colored-haired boy's eyes seemed to plead _Why?_ and she answered him, "Look, he's not a bad person. If he lived the same life as you did, he would not be this way. I'd explain more, but I don't have any more time."

"Don't do this."

"I'm sorry…Prince." She gave him a weak attempt at a smile. Atemu copied her. "But Bakura seems to be changing. And I don't want to see him suffering anymore because of something in his past that he had no control over. It's not fair. Besides," she told him with a wave just as she whirled around and ran down the hallway, "it's our fault, too…"

The young ruler of Egypt watched her until she was gone, his legs rooted to the ground. The golden puzzle hanging from his neck seemed as dull and heavy as lead.

He heard footsteps behind him but did not acknowledge the new presence.

"My lord, have you seen Mana?" came the uneasy voice of Priest Mahaado. His concern increased when all his pharaoh did was sigh dejectedly, shaking his head. "Pharaoh Atemu?"

"Our fault…?" Atemu said quietly, absently. He smiled down morosely at his Millennium Item. "Blame linked from one trauma to the one preceding it. If we are at fault for the misdeeds of one scarred from our actions, who do we blame for our own misdeeds?"

Mahaado took only one second in realizing what Atemu meant.

(-)

Bakura sat on the stone blocks that served as a railing to the balcony. "You're late," he said, smirking. The moonlight struck the alabaster, shining form of the great Diabound behind the thief lord. Mana could almost see it.

"I was… just saying a few goodbyes…" Mana said sincerely. She nodded as he motioned for her to come to him. "I might not see them again for a long, long time."

As she drew closer to him, he said slowly, "You know… Even if you do come back, they might not welcome you with open arms…"

"Really?"

"You betrayed them. Considering you ran off with the _greatest_ tomb robber of all time…" Bakura grinned as Mana attempted to muffle her giggles behind her hand. He shrugged and stood up, looking back at Diabound. "But you can come back here any time you want."

Mana's brows rose. "No kidding? You'd let me visit here again? But you hate this place!"

Shrugging, the white-haired man rested his hand on the docile snakehead of his ka. "I'm a thief. There's nothing more rewarding—nothing that I value more—than my freedom after a good plunder. It's like an added bonus when the bumbling guards can't catch you as make off with all of the loot." He chuckled as his great beast's wings stretched out slowly. "So I don't see a point in keeping you caged up right beside me. I'd probably drop you off nearby. I'm not accompanying you in, you know that?"

Nodding again, Mana answered, "Yeah… I kinda figured that out…"

The atmosphere was rather tense around them. Mana wondered whether Bakura was stalling, in case she wanted to stay. _Why would he do that…? _She looked at him thoughtfully. Did Bakura not want her to regret her mistake by giving her more time to think about what she was doing? Was it because he still felt unsure whether he could trust her or not? She frowned. Maybe it was because he really did not want her to go with him?

"Will ya quit staring at me like that?" Bakura's order snapped her out of her thoughts. He extended a hand to her. "All right, come on. We'll go before we attract any more attention." He rolled his eyes, as if embarrassed by the words coming out of his own mouth.

Reaching for his rough hand tentatively, Mana asked, "Are you sure you want me to come?"

"What's the matter?" Bakura's face split into an almost conceited smile as he taunted her gently. "Having second thoughts?"

Scowling, Mana gave an annoyed grunt and said, "Of course not!"

"Then you know my answer."

Mana beamed at him. Just as her hand grasped his, a voice shattered the silence of the night. "YOU!" Both of their heads jerked towards the balcony entrance.

Mahaado glared, his blue eyes positively blazing. Though his aura was flaring up dangerously, he still seemed composed, despite having shouted at them a moment ago. _"What do you think you're doing?" _he asked venomously.

She had no doubt whatsoever that Atemu had relayed her message to him. Mana had anticipated that, but she had hoped that they would have left long before then. "M—Master, I—"

"No, not you." Mahaado's stare was, now, clearly directed towards Bakura. _"You._ Wretched thief. What do you think you're doing with my apprentice?"

Bakura laughed loudly. "Well, looks like we were caught! Does it matter anyway?" He grinned at Mahaado challengingly. "What can you do about it? Are you gonna send that pathetic excuse of a mage at me?"

The priest was not backing down. Mana had never seen her teacher so angry before. "Do you honestly think you can come storming into our lives, seduce my student just for an underhanded blow at the pharaoh, and think I would stand idly by while you do so?"

Snorting, Bakura snapped caustically, "Oh you think you're so clever? Of course that's all I wanted to do!" His fists were shaking at his sides. "What the hell do you know? You're the same as me!"

"_You?"_

"Master… Bakura…" Mana's pleading was in vain.

Mahaado turned to her, his countenance beseeching. "Mana, don't go with him. You can't trust someone like him!"

"Why? Just because you say so? Because you're her master and better? I'm sick of you royals thinking you're better than everyone else just because you have those bloody Items! What if I had one, too?" Bakura jabbed a finger at Mahaado. "You—Priest Mahaado, you've _always_ annoyed me! Now you're really making me mad! I claim what's rightfully mine, the stolen blood of my villagers! Diabound! Spiral Wa—"

"Stop!" Mana shrieked, flinging herself at him.

Bakura stumbled back from her weight and fell over the railing.

Staring in incredulity at what had just happened, Mahaado rushed to the place where the two had been standing. "No… Mana!"

Suddenly, shooting upward was a colossal statue-like being. Mahaado stepped back. He knew it was Diabound immediately. In the palm of its clawed hand were his disciple and the tomb raider.

"Damn priest!" yelled Bakura, positively enraged. He could feel the hatred, anger, loathing… All of those deliciously blackening emotions sweep into his heart again. He could feel them flowing into Diabound. With power like this, the entire palace would be rubble in a matter of seconds!

If he hadn't remembered the girl at his side, that is. The brunette clung onto his arm tightly, her eyes looking up at him in horror. He glowered at her and then back at Priest Mahaado. If he had it his way, those two large sapphires of hers would never affect him. Bakura sighed. But he did not. "Diabound! Let's go!" he called back to his giant ka.

(-)

Atemu arrived just in time to see Mahaado slam his fists into the pale stone railing. He looked around. The night was illuminated only by a gibbous moon and no stars. There was no point in asking what had happened to Mana.

The crimson-eyed youth already knew. He groaned quietly, his knees hitting the floor under him dully as he lost feeling in his legs.

By the frustrated, devastated way the priest growled, "Dammit… That's twice… That's twice he's won her away," Pharaoh Atemu knew she was gone.

* * *

Ah, finally finished. Yesh, yesh… 

Whoa… Four chapters and it's longer than the first fic in my 'Magic Trilogy.' XD And the next chapter's the last! Questioning how Anime will finish this in one chapter? You have all the right to.

R&R, please!


	5. Forever Lost

The Stolen Heart

By Anime-2000

Disclaimer: Anime-2000 doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh! She only owns the characters in here that you've never ever seen in the series (both manga and anime.)

I really have no idea what Atemu's horse is called.

So ANYWAY at long last: the conclusion to _The Stolen Heart. _Changed rating to a 'T.' I wasn't expecting it to be this long, but lo and behold! It's the longest freakin' chapter I've ever written. I've tried to edit out some parts, but I just couldn't… Thirty-two pages. Dang. _If you're going to read this, I hope you have plenty of time on your hands._

* * *

The throne room was in chaos. Priests paced back and forth. The holder of the Millennium Ring was particularly anxious. Every once in a while, a priest would ask about the situation, but none received any more confirmation than a simple nod or shake of the head. Seto was waving his Millennium Rod about in the air, demanding the presence of a certain priestess and claiming that the conference could not begin without her.

"Where's Isis?"

"Everyone, please remain calm—"

"My pharaoh, is this what I hear is true?"

"Where the hell is _Isis?_ We can't start the meeting without her!"

Pharaoh Atemu, who had capitulated to the tension in the room, fell back into his throne and shook his head dully at the ineptitude of this assembly. He wondered if the migraine that was beginning to worsen had something to do with his best friend being spirited away like a piece of gold by a thief, or whether it was the causality effect of shaking his head back and forth. He squeezed his eyes shut. It must have been both.

"Simon," sighed the pharaoh weakly, "have you located the priestess, Isis?"

The old advisor apologized and told him, "I'm afraid not, my king. Is her presence really necessary?"

Laughing softly, Atemu pressed his hands against his face. "No, no, Seto is just trying to stall the meeting because he doesn't have a clue what to do, so he knows he's no help. He barely even knows what's going on. Only Mahaado knows the full story, but he hasn't spoken a word since the event… Osiris curse it all." He peered through his fingers and then closed those crimson eyes of his again. "Let's begin."

At the command, the room fell silent. Finally, Priest Shada turned to Mahaado, who glanced at him and then returned to his pacing. Shaking his head, the holder of the Ankh said, "If you have compunctions over this whole ordeal, you shouldn't, Mahaado. This isn't your fault."

"Spare me your condolences," Mahaado replied, finally stopping and facing him directly. "I know it is. If I hadn't just stood there, I could have stopped him! But I was too preoccupied with trying to persuade Mana to stay and trying to get her to understand that Bakura was a no-good tomb raider…" He paused and looked to Priest Karim. "But I suppose I don't have as much experience judging a person as you do. She was completely entranced with the thief. If I had defeated him, Mana would never forgive me."

"It's quite presumptuous of you think say that you would have _defeated_ Bakura just like that, don't you think, Mahaado?" Seto said wryly. Mahaado's eyes narrowed, but other than that he did not show any more resentment for the comment.

Karim shrugged slightly. The Millennium Scales jingled softly in his hand. "I haven't had a chance to properly judge Bakura… But we all know that there is a heavy darkness within that man."

Mahaado frowned, remembering the many conversations he had with his apprentice, about the darkness that could grow within a person's soul and influence their actions. "Agreed. But what action should we take now, my Pharaoh?"

Atemu blinked as all the priests' attention turned to him. He redirected his gaze to his Puzzle. "Well, Mana did say that she was leaving for a good cause. She claimed that Bakura was taking her away from Egypt, and the tombs of the previous kings of Egypt would be safe from that bandit."

"This is what we were talking about?" Seto burst out suddenly. He snorted, and shook his head. "In that case, I fail to see what the big deal is. If she left of her own free will with that crypt-robbing cretin for the well being of Egypt, then that is her choice. End of argument."

The old priest with the Millennium Eye, Akunadin, gave the younger man an aggravated look. "Seto, that was callous and uncalled for." Shrugging, the holder of the Millennium Rod closed his eyes in an unspoken apology.

But the others knew that there was a certain truth in his words. One that both Atemu and Mahaado refused to say aloud.

"_Perhaps_ you're right…" Seto said, making sure to stress the 'perhaps.' The haughty brunette folded his arms across his chest and tapped his Item lightly against his shoulder. A silent _'Or maybe_ I'm _right,'_ lingered in the air. Everyone seemed to hear it, all the same.

"Mana is young," Shada said slowly. "She might not completely understand what she has gotten herself into…"

Seto countered harshly, "Then that's her own fault! She's always like this! That girl doesn't think before she acts! It's time she learns the consequences of her actions—it's time she grows up." His eyes darted towards Mahaado with an icy and sharp glare. _"Again,_ wouldn't you agree, Priest Mahaado_?"_

Nodding pensively, Karim interjected, albeit witheringly, "And you are the at pinnacle of maturity, yourself, Seto." The cold look was directed to the holder of the Scales now. "But all I'm saying is that it's unnecessary to keep reminding Mahaado of…" Karim glanced at Mahaado for a moment. The priest was busy conversing with the pharaoh. Karim deemed it safe to continue, "…his… mistake."

Seto coughed.

Simon watched the four priests carefully. A heated altercation seemed liable to erupt at any moment. He did not hear the words exchanged between the holders of the Millennium Ring and Puzzle.

"I'm sorry, Mahaado," whispered Atemu, leaning forward from his throne to the priest. "As much as I would love to have a search party sent out to look for her, I know I can't. Mana agreed—willingly—to take Bakura away from our land, to protect us… The welfare of Egypt rests on my shoulder. I can't forsake the entire country and the previous kings for one friendship. If I were anyone else, I would. I swear to you…" Atemu's crimson eyes held a slightly Mana-like mischief in them. "I would."

Mahaado stared into them coolly. "Are you certain, my pharaoh?"

The young ruler smirked. "We've wasted a lot of time as it is, haven't we, Mahaado?" He winked and said, "Papyrus is in the stables."

Smiling briefly, Mahaado cleared his throat and backed away. He said loudly, "So what is your final conclusion, Great Pharaoh?"

The throne room surrendered to silence once more, and the King of Egypt said, "Mana is your student and your responsibility, Priest Mahaado." A broad grin appeared on his countenance. "I leave her situation in your hands. I trust you will act wisely."

Bowing, Mahaado said, "As you wish, my lord." And he left the room.

(-)

Papyrus snorted and nudged Mahaado's arm softly. Mana always loved this horse. It was one of Atemu's favorites, too, despite having injured himself once by a clandestine ride. His father was royally unhappy and had forbidden Atemu to ride it.

Yet, now, Atemu boasted that it was the fastest horse in Egypt.

"Priest Mahaado. Are you leaving?" The priest in question glanced over his shoulder and then back at the lovely steed once he recognized the priestess. "I was looking for you."

"Isis, your absence created quite a commotion in our second conference tonight," he told her quietly.

He was answered with a light laugh, "Yes, I heard from Seto. But I hope you all will forgive me; I was coming when a vision about tonight suddenly came to me. Several, actually…"

Mahaado pulled gently on the reins and led the horse past the holder of the Millennium Tauk. He smiled briefly at her. "You need not present your explanations to me. I'm in a hurry at the moment, and I'm sure the pharaoh—or Priest Seto—would much rather hear about it…"

She shook her head. "Oh no, Mahaado, I believe this concerns you more than it does him. Well, at least Mana and Bakura." She walked away. "But I do understand that you don't have much time on your hands."

"And what would this be?" Mahaado asked as he climbed onto the horse's back. She had intrigued him now.

Just as the mare took the first step of many more to come that night, Isis looked back and said, "There's nothing to be worried about. It's best if I kept these auguries to myself. Only… trust your judgment. Do what you believe is right." She smiled her cryptic smile again. "History will not change."

(-)

"You get airsick… Never would've expected that."

"I'm sorry, but Diabound is still invisible to me! Your ka flies so quickly, and I can actually see the ground whizzing beneath us…"

"Pathetic."

"Oh shut up."

Once their feet had met the soft, sandy desert surface, Mana brightened.

She laughed, kicking up white sand as she twirled around in the moonlight. "Yay!"

The thief watched her in amazement. How does one change so drastically in such a short amount of time? Then, he gazed down at himself. How had _he_ changed so quickly? In a couple of weeks, he had turned from ruthless criminal—who wanted nothing more than to kill the pharaoh and claim the Items that his family was sacrificed for—to a… still a ruthless criminal (nobody had better doubt that), but the heavy anger in his chest had lifted.

Something was wrong with him. He knew that. Mana plopped down in the sand and fell on her back. Bakura smirked and took a seat next to her, looking up at the constellations. So something was wrong with him. He did not care. Not at all.

"Tell me, what will we do after we leave Egypt?" Mana asked, sitting up. She shook the sand from her hair.

Bakura looked at her thoughtfully. "Nubia…" he murmured softly, "I haven't thought much farther than that. What other countries are nearby?" Mana shrugged. "Didn't that priest teach you _anything?_" Mana blushed. Bakura corrected himself, "Or you just didn't learn anything."

"I just didn't pay attention to the boring things," she replied huffily. Then, switching the subject back to travel, Mana said, "So how far are we going? How far _is_ Nubia?"

Smirking, Bakura looked up at the stars. "A country away, across the world… I don't care. But I _will_ return to Egypt one day to finish what they've started."

Mana frowned as she straightened. "Don't say that! Forget the Millennium Items!" she said, grabbing onto his sleeve. He scowled back at her. "Please, Bakura, I know you'll never forgive what happened to Kuru Eruna, but just leave it in the past. Let it go, and you don't have to suffer anymore!"

"Grief and pain that have followed me and stayed with me for fifteen years do not leave just because I decide to 'let them go,'" Bakura told her angrily. His voice was bitter as he shrugged her off. "But you don't have to worry about that just now. I'll wait a few years before I come back, all right?" he said, nudging her gently with his elbow.

"And you won't reconsider?" asked Mana, still sadly. She sat back on her heels. Bakura shook his head, his decision final. He was not going to relate to her what he and Heka had argued about. She might get ideas. "Well, I can try, right?" He stared, questioningly. Mana rose to her knees and looked at him with exuberant determination. "Even if it takes years, I'll do all I can to drive out that hatred from your heart!"

Bakura blinked and snorted, "Good luck. Though by then, I'll have probably killed the pharaoh and all his priests!" He laughed, and Mana could only sigh and think, _We've got a_ **_long_** _way to go…_

The laughter ceased. After a short abeyance, the thief's amused voice said softly, "Speak of the devil…" The brunette looked up, in the direction the white-haired man was facing. A white mare charged towards them at full speed. Her azure eyes widened as Bakura chuckled darkly. "That guy just doesn't give up."

_Papyrus… _She recognized that horse. Had the king sent someone to find her? "Maybe… we should leave now," Mana said urgently, tugging at his coat. Bakura only shook his head, his grin growing more and more malicious. The horse drew closer.

Pharaoh Atemu's prized steed came to a stop before them, and the man leapt off. "Well, well," Bakura whispered with a sneer, "what a surprise. How you managed to find _and_ catch up to us, that is. Won't you enlighten Mana and me?"

Mahaado's brows slanted towards each other. "Bakura," he acknowledged in return. He had rehearsed this moment in head heads dozens of times, but when the moment came… This was more difficult. The man he was facing was dangerous, unpredictable. "I am not here to fight you," he said carefully, "but I will if forced to."

"Another shocker."

Scowling, Mahaado did not look away as he continued, "All I want is my student. I won't hinder your escape, report you, or anything of the sort." It did not help that Bakura's expression remained the same: calculating, patronizing. "The others will not know about this meeting, and you are free to go until you commit your next crime in Egypt. Just… release Mana." Bakura raised an eyebrow. With more effort than he let on, Mahaado added, "…Please."

"Since you asked nicely…" Bakura laughed lightly and folded his arms. _"Maybe." _The priest glared at him, and Bakura smiled. "So, what about your Ring?"

"My Ring…?" Mahaado placed a hand on his chest, feeling the cold metallic surface of the Millennium Ring. He held it up and gave it a hard look. "Hmm. Very well." Without another moment of hesitation, he jerked it from his neck. The Millennium Item landed at the tomb raider's feet with a quiet "chk" from the dangling golden diamonds.

Mana and Bakura stared at the Item in stunned silence. Bakura's hand had a firm grip on her arm as he pulled her behind him. He looked up. "What trickery is this?" he spat, giving the priest an irate glower.

"Exactly what it looks like," Mahaado replied calmly, not taking his eyes off the thief. "The Millennium Ring in exchange for Mana. You've always coveted it, have you not? It is quite an essential instrument for avenging Kuru Eruna. Which is more important to you. Power or her?"

Bakura's face darkened. Even Mana, as she looked up, could not tell what he was thinking from the grimace on his face.

"True…" he finally spoke. "I would kill for it..."

Sands whipped up as Bakura's colossal white ka burgeoned out from within him. Diabound's huge wings stretched to their full extent, its white knuckles cracking as it flexed it fingers. The snakehead hissed spitefully at the priest.

Looking up, Bakura grinned insanely. "…but I would rather kill _you_ for it!"

"Bakura!" Mana yelled at him, but Mahaado had seen enough to know that this time, they would _have_ to fight. From the looks on the two men's faces, she finally did, too. "Darnit!" With a grunt of frustration, Mana bent down, scooped the Millennium Ring up from the sand, and hurled it to Mahaado. "Master—catch!" Bakura looked down at her. "It's only fair!" she told him. "Now you each have something the other wants!"

The Illusionist Mage leapt out deftly and stood between its priest and Bakura. It had grown from a child into a lean, lithe figure of a man. A new power radiated from it as it pointed its magician's staff at the Thief King and his ka. Mahaado was fighting with all his magic now. "I suppose some things can't be avoided," said Mahaado, tying the Ring's leather cord around his neck. "All or nothing?"

"Heheh, for once, I agree." Bakura's eyes flashed as he ordered, "Diabound! Attack with Spiral Wave!"

"Dodge and counter with Magic Blast!" Mahaado commanded instantly.

Mahaado's ka zigzagged out Diabound's attack and headed straight for it and its master. "Follow it!" roared Bakura as the mage neared them. Without deviation, Bakura's god dove towards the Illusionist Mage. It dodged the Magic Blast as easily as its nemesis had avoided its own attack and lunged at the magician. But Mahaado and the Illusionist Mage were one step ahead.

"Quickly! Attack again!" Mahaado shouted, sending his ka magic to fuel the second attack.

"'_Again?'"_ Bakura cried in disbelief as Diabound was sent hurtling back from the second magical blast. His ka smashed into the ground beside him. Sand flew everywhere. "Diabound!" Mana held on to him tightly as he leapt out of the way of his own ka's flailing tail. "Fight back!" he yelled as he landed.

"Illusionist Mage!"

Mana gasped as its green staff cut between Bakura and herself. It caught her in the middle and swung back, sending her flying through the air. She panicked. One second she was ascending toward the sky; the next second, she fell like a rock. "Ungh!" She fell into strong arms. The girl pushed back her headpiece and looked up. Her mentor looked down at her. "Master Mahaado!"

"Bad move!" snarled Bakura as they looked back to the Duel. Diabound had arisen and was already attacking. "Destroy his ka!" Bakura bellowed just as the alabaster beast unleashed a powerful Spiral Wave. The mage flew upwards, but the attack knocked him out of the air. Had it been a few seconds later, it would have been completely engulfed and obliterated by the Spiral Wave.

For Mana and Mahaado, unfortunately, the Spiral Wave was headed right towards them. Bakura yelled at Diabound to stop the attack, but it was already too late.

Undaunted, the priest called to his ka, "Illusionist Mage—Thousand Magic Blasts!" The magician flew back towards Mana and Mahaado, raised its staff, and pointed it towards the Spiral Wave. Magic explosions erupted against Diabound's assault.

Both attacks were negated. A dust flurry veiled the battlefield. _Both_ contenders took that to their advantage.

"Illusionist Mage, attack!"

"Swat that insect outta the air, Diabound!"

The cloud of sand was ripped asunder by a fierce wind as Diabound swung its arm at Mahaado's ka. The punch connected, and the Illusionist Mage plummeted out of the air. Mahaado cringed. Mana, too, felt a sharp sensation in her heart. Her feet met the ground as the priest dropped her. "Oh! Master—"

Mahaado just shook his head. "Fine—I'm fine." He looked up as the Illusionist Mage leapt up into the air, ready to fight again. "All right, attack with Magic Blast!"

Bakura scowled. _He recovered too quickly!_ He had not seen this coming.

Just as Diabound managed to jerk out of the magical attack's way, Mahaado commanded, _"Again!"_

"Damn!" Bakura had been forced back several feet, but Diabound—who had taken the full blow—was thrown back with that powerful blast and smashed into the sand dune behind him.

"Attack Bakura!" Mahaado yelled, jabbing a finger at the weakened tomb robber. "Magic Blas—!"

Mana's hands clasped around his hand as she shrieked "Stop! Don't kill him!"

"Tch! There's no choice!" he snapped at her, lowering his arm.

Shaking her head so wildly that he was almost certain her neck would break, Mana said, "No, no! There is a choice!" She stopped, and her dark blue eyes met directly with his. "Let us leave!" she said firmly. A ferocious intensity filled her voice. "I'm begging you! If you let _us_ leave, Egypt will be safe. Master Mahaado, isn't this what you want?" She held his hand tightly with her own shaking two. "Yes…?"

With a pained expression on his face, Mahaado stared back at her. _"No,"_ he closed his eyes and whispered so softly that Mana had to lean closer to hear him.

"Why?"

_Because I refuse to allow that criminal to take what he wants without appropriate thought of the consequences. Because I will never let him steal you away from me forever. Because I love you._ There were many replies that Mahaado could have said that would have sounded intelligent or at least convincing. Replies that would have been typical Mahaado responses. Replies that had been amassed deep within him for years.

But those did not seem like justifiable answers. They seemed… "Because…" Mahaado sighed in defeat and bowed his head. "…Because I am selfish."

Mana's eyes softened. "Master…"

Bakura glared at the two. They had years behind them, whereas he only knew her for a few weeks. There was a deeper connection between the mentor and student. He loathed that bond. "Diabound," he hissed, _"Separate them."_ His ka sprang into action. Bakura was more than willing to give the black rage that was building up in his heart to Diabound. Concentrating the raw energy of hatred into an attack. "Spiral Wave!"

Mahaado could call upon his Illusionist Mage to block the attack, relocate Mana to safety, or do nothing and let both him and his apprentice become obliterated by the attack. There was a better chance of one of the first two happening; Bakura was pleased to see that he chose them.

Mahaado gripped Mana's shoulders tightly. "Mana, leave!" he shouted as he flung her away from him. The Illusionist Mage bolted down towards Mahaado to protect him. Bakura sneered at the priest and his ka. This time, Diabound's attack was stronger than ever. They would feel the full fury of the Spiral Wave.

She tumbled head-over-heels until she managed to come to a halt. When Mana looked up, Bakura had made his move. _"Master!"_ Mana screamed as Mahaado and the Illusionist Mage were swallowed up in the overwhelming flash of energy.

A gust of wind slammed into her, knocking her linen visor from her hair and whisking several meters away. _Bakura, you didn't… you didn't…_ she thought furiously, closing her eyes against the hard grains of sand pelting her face.

The sand settled. _"What?"_ Mana opened her eyes abruptly at the sound of Bakura's bewildered voice. "…the hell…?"

Mahaado staggered a couple of steps back before falling down on one knee. He took a deep breath to steady himself and looked up at his opponent. "Sorry, Thief." True, he was thoroughly weakened and must have been in extreme pain, but there was still something about the fact that he survived with a smirk on his face… Something that made it seem as if he were the real victor of that round. "It appears that I'm still alive."

"Huh," Bakura snorted. He grinned, but his fists were shaking. "Not for long. Not for long… Diabound!" he called out, and the huge being beat its mighty wings and lifted itself into the air. "Finish it!"

"Bakura!" Mana called out. _"Bakura—DON'T!"_

"MANA!" Both Mahaado's and Bakura's eyes widened.

The girl leapt to her feet and ran to teacher. She positioned herself directly in front of him with her arms held out at her sides. "Stop your attack!"

Bakura stared in stunned revelation at what was happening. The Illusionist Mage's shimmering ghostly form hovered, immobile in the air. Mahaado was weakened and helpless, but Mana had chosen to take his side and stay with him. Diabound flew towards both of them. This Duel was in his favor now.

He would win. But it was a sour victory.

Mana betrayed him. Mana had betrayed him! Bakura ran that thought over and over in his head, but until now, his mind would not accept it. _Mana had betrayed him._ She had deliberately run into danger to shield that priest. She would have done the same for him… Right? Bakura glowered at them; fury, humiliation, and jealousy boiling down into hate, magnificent hate. Before he could control himself, a sentence formed in his mind:

_Kill them all!_

Diabound's two clawed hands clapped together and pulled apart, creating a powerful charge between them.

Mahaado looked to the Illusionist Mage, but it was hopeless. "Mana, this is not your battle. _Leave."_ Mana, however, glared right past Diabound and directly at Bakura.

The charge in Diabound's hands had formed into an immense ball of energy that was more than capable of wiping all three of them out. All three who opposed him. But Mana could not see it. All she could feel was the tense electricity crackling quietly. She was terrified, but she would not budge.

This was it.

_What am I thinking?_ Bakura screamed mentally at himself. _This is Mana. _"D—Diabound…" murmured Bakura, shaking his head. He could not go through with this. Reasoning was so hard. But he wanted to kill them! He wanted to see Priest Mahaado perish along with his ka. The golden Millennium Ring winking at him in the desert moonlight. His. His recovered family. His purpose of existence. He wanted to see these royals suffer. Just as his village did. Just as he did. They should all die.

Diabound yanked its hands above its head and then thrust them forward, the Spiral Wave erupting from its palms.

Destroy the pharaoh and his dynasty. Have true justice. And all he had to do was kill the priest in his way. And kill her.

It should have been simple…

"DIABOUND—STOP!"

The Spiral Wave faltered. Diabound lowered its hands instantly, canceling the rest of the attack. The Spiral Wave faltered, weakened, shrunk, _but_ it did not cease.

Mana gave a muffled shriek as the attack hit her dead on. Her head snapped back, and her body was sent hurtling backwards forcefully. "Mana!" cried Mahaado as she crashed into him. He caught the brunette and gazed down at her. "Mana! Mana, Mana! _Wake up."_

She stirred weakly. "Ow." Mahaado sighed in relief. Mana was alive.

"Heh. Don't worry. The Spiral Wave wasn't at full power." Mahaado looked up to see Bakura walking towards them. Diabound was nowhere to be seen. The tomb robber's head was tilted down. "Funny, eh? I steal, Priest. I steal, hurt, and kill." A low chuckle interrupted his words. "I've killed so many people that I don't even hesitate anymore when a life is in danger." He came to a halt before Mahaado and his unconscious student. "It's _funny,_ isn't it? And a few minutes ago, she would have run away with me. Heh heh."

Mahaado stared up at him with calm, albeit angry, eyes. "Yes, thank Ra you managed to talk her out of it." There was no clemency in Mahaado's voice as he asked the white-haired man, "Why would you attack her? Tch." The blue-eyed magician paused to keep himself in control and not allow anger to consume him. He did not want to be like Bakura. They were in no way alike. He frowned, continuing harshly, "She cared for you, and apparently that empathy was wasted on a petty rogue like you."

"I must have no heart."

"That is irrelevant, Bakura."

Mana moved groggily, her eyes opening. Both men turned to her.

The bandit smiled. "It must be." Bakura sighed and looked down at her with a blank gaze. "So, Mana," he said softly. "This is your choice, then." The girl opened her mouth to protest, but she realized it was more of a commandment than a question. Bakura smirked, spun on a foot, and turned his back to them. He gave her a nonchalant wave. "I've made my decision, too."

"Bak…Bakura…" Mana sat up. "No, please—listen!" She arose to her feet. The heel of Bakura's hand promptly met her shoulder, and he shoved her back down into Mahaado. "Whoa—hey!"

The King of Thieves snorted. "I'm not listening."

(-)

Kuru Eruna. It was all for Kuru Eruna. But he almost forgot about his goal. It was a slight detour from his plans, and it almost jeopardized more than a decade of preparation. For a moment, he actually thought he would let all the hostility in his heart atrophy.

Bakura smashed his fist against the rock. He grinned darkly at the pain bursting in his knuckles. What a fool he was.

How could he have allowed himself to become distracted from what was truly important? Steal the Millennium Items. Avenge Kuru Eruna. Show those nobles what true justice was. Take control over this dynasty. And after all the hassle and emotions, he was still back where he started. It was a fitting punishment. Perhaps Fate saying, "All right, you've had your fun. Back to business."

His thoughts, as usual, were wandering back to Mana. She was miles upon miles away, but he could still feel those azure eyes of her boring holes into his soul. How was it possible for her to do that? The last look on her face was a picture of betrayal. He still wanted her with him. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he was better off without her, he still wanted her.

She had turned on him first. Whether it was purely out of instinct or whatever, he would never know. But it did not matter. She still used herself as a shield against him to protect the Holder of the Millennium Ring. Bakura glared at the black surface of the rock. He lost both the Ring _and_ Mana. Groaning, he punched against the flat stone wall again. He truly _was_ back where he started.

"Dammit," said Bakura. "Dammit." He pounded against the rock mercilessly with his fists. He had suffered for nothing! Just like back then, when he had tortured himself mentally for not rescuing his family. It was his own stupid, stubborn, hopeless fault. Bakura continued his abuse until he had exhausted himself. The rock still stood rigid in the sand. It would stay there, oblivious to time, to the living and dead. Blissfully ignorant. He glared at it. "Damn you," he told its reddened surface before he whirled around and rested his back on it.

He sank down to the cool sand and looked at his raw, bloody knuckles. He needed to work on his next plan. What would he do now? Bakura still wanted those Items. He pondered this as he held his hand to his mouth. The metallic taste of blood was reassuring. Physical wounds were predictable, unlike wounds to the heart.

Bakura's eyes narrowed at the thought. The heart beating within his chest ached, but it was a familiar feeling. When he was younger, he felt it before. He knew the pain of losing something dearly. It always came back to haunt him. It made him angrier, gnawing at his common sense like a starving jackal. He hated it. He hated everything that brought this anger to him.

The white-haired man frowned at the thought. _Hold on a moment…_

Hate.

"Diabound." The word left his lips in a whisper. His ka appeared before him. Diabound stared at its master with imperceptible sympathy. Its snake head slithered towards Bakura, rising from the ground when it was directly in front of him. Bakura held a bloodied, quivering hand to it. His fingers brushed against the scales, leaving a red trail on the white snakeskin.

Instantly, he could feel Diabound growing, strengthening. Right at his fingertips. He smirked. So this whole escapade had _not_ been for nothing. It was just what he needed.

And to think Heka had him doubting himself. This was the final blow that he needed increase his antipathy, his power. Again, he had lost everything. But again, he would rise from the blackened ashes like a mythical phoenix. He would grow stronger every time he was defeated. For every battle he lost, he won a consolation prize: hatred for fuel and a death promise to his enemies.

So what if he ended up losing this Duel? He still had Diabound, his power, and his own life.

The sky was brightening. Ra appeared from behind the horizon, his golden rays flooding the golden desert sands. Stars from Nut's dress surrendered themselves to Ra's brilliance. Rocks cast their long black shadows away from the Sun God. Bakura still sat in the darkness. He laughed softly at the irony.

His defeats and victories seemed to occur so naturally. With one loss came another gain. Yes, they were as natural as the rising and setting of the sun. Whenever the sun rose, darkness had lost and hid in the shadows. When night fell upon the world, the dark would arise once more.

Wins and losses. Natural as the coming and going of the days. And right _now,_ light had won.

Bakura's quiet chuckle escalated into a maniacal laughter. It was so clear now. Why had he not realized this sooner? He stared up fondly at his great white ka. "When night falls again, Diabound," he told it through his cackle, "that is when the Darkness will strike."

(-)

"And then, he actually _left_…?" Shada could scarcely believe it when Mahaado nodded his head, affirming his statement. The two walked side by side down the large hallway. "He made no attempt to take your Ring. Bakura actually pushed her down and left." Mahaado sighed and nodded again. Shada shook his head slightly and looked down at his own Item. "No matter now many times you tell me that story, I still find it difficult to believe…"

"But it happened. And if it hadn't been for Mana, I would have perished."

Shada frowned. "You speak of it so calmly."

Mahaado's mind was obviously deep in its own thoughts as he waved away Shada's comment absentmindedly. "Don't I always?"

"Ack! He's catching up!" The two priests directed their attention towards the childish shriek. A small boy raced down the hall towards them. Mahaado did not move as the child came to a screeching halt and clung on to his arm.

Looking down at the disheveled boy with vague bemusement, Mahaado asked, "Hello, do I know you?"

The child looked up at him with eyes glittering with a familiar impishness. "You're base!" Both men raised their brows at the declaration.

Before they could make a response, Mana attached herself to Mahaado's other arm. "We're safe! The next base will be the front gate, as soon as Anhotep catches up," she exclaimed, grinning at the boy. Then, glancing up at Mahaado, she greeted him, "Good afternoon, Master! I see you've met Menkh!"

"Mana…" Mahaado shook the two off and stared at his student directly in the eye. "What have I told you?"

"Theeee… palace isn't my playground?" she ventured, shrinking slightly under his stern gaze. Mahaado gave her a curt nod and asked her how many times he had told her that. Mana grinned cheerily at him and answered, "Umm… Three times!"

Sighing, Mahaado bowed his head and then looked back up at her, correcting her, _"Five_ times." He rolled his eyes and said, "I cannot stress the importance of maturity even more than I already have, Apprentice! You really must act more you age. How can you expect to become a full-fledged magician if you have a mindset of a child?"

"Oh, of course, Master. I'm just…" Mana blinked. "Where are you going?"

"Our presence is mandatory in the throne room," Mahaado told her and gave her headpiece a light flick so that it fell over her eyes. It was a rather annoying habit, but for some reason, Mana found it endearing. Mahaado was so austere; it was one of those little signs that told her he was still human. When she had pushed it back to its rightful position, Mahaado and Shada were already walking away. "You may spend the next two hours doing whatever you please, but keep out of trouble."

Mana saluted him with a cheery smile. "You know I do!"

Shada looked at Mahaado and said quietly, "She seems… unperturbed by the whole… incident."

Mahaado kept his own opinions to himself and quickened his pace.

(-)

"Aahh, my lord… Please, all… w-we want to do is find my… my brother!" Menkh stammered helplessly under the frigid gaze of the high priest. He looked around nervously. Where had Lady Mana run off to? She had told him that she would help search for Anhotep (seeing how he tagged her when he was It), but right now, Menkh needed her more than Anhotep did!

The holder of the Millennium Rod did not budge. "So there are more of your little rascals running around in the palace?" His eyes narrowed. Menkh felt as big as a scarab. A scarab that would be crushed under the heel of a being more powerful and intelligent than he was. "How did you get in? The palace is forbidden to all commoners, except by invitation—"

"Lord Seto!" Menkh felt faint when he heard Mana's voice. The girl ran towards the two and came to a halt at the child's left. Anhotep stopped at his right. "These children are with me! They mean no harm, and we were just about to leave anyway."

Seto frowned and walked past them with a scornful "hmph." "I had been wondering how a little brat could get past the guards. We've increased the defense of the palace as well as the tombs. Let's see _your tomb robber_ try to get past this time."

"Priest Seto, they meant no harm," Mana repeated, an angry scowl tainting the exuberance on her face. "They just wanted to see me."

(-)

"Lady Mana, thanks for playing with us!" Anhotep bowed slightly. Mana giggled uneasily, feeling awkward at the title he had bestowed upon her. But it was certainly a wonderful feeling, being looked up to. She could not wait to be a priestess. Anxious, what had she been thinking? The younger boy looked up. "Will we see you tomorrow?"

Nodding, she replied, "If I'm not busy. Master Mahaado has been very strict with my lessons lately." She patted Menkh on the head and smiled when he blushed and mumbled incoherently. "But if I don't see you, here's my apology," she told him with a wink as she held out a few coins to him. The boy looked at her questioningly for a few moments and then hesitantly took them.

Shyly, he asked, "Do… you want us to give someone a message?"

Mana looked at him with a perplexed smile. "What?"

Anhotep shook his head and took Menkh's arm.

With a somewhat desolate sigh, the brunette watched the two brothers run off into the crowd. The marketplace was routinely crowded beyond belief during the afternoon. Today was no exception. With her hands clasped loosely behind her back, she twirled around gracefully and began her walk back to the palace. The marketplace just did not seem to be the same anymore. Mana looked down at her feet as she walked, feeling bored and restless. She wondered how Bakura was faring. It had been a week, and she had not seen him since.

Hands clapped around her head, fingers covering her eyes. "Remember us?" asked a very familiar female voice.

Mana pulled the small hands down from her face and looked back, her kohl-rimmed eyes widening. "H-Heka!" she gasped just as the woman hugged her in a tight embrace. "And… Rasha and Hakim!" she managed to choke out when she saw the men.

"By Ra, Heka, I'd hate to see what you'd do to Bakura when you see him!" Rasha commented jokingly as the black-haired woman released Mana.

Heka, on the other hand, was far from jovial. "I'd strap him to my roof and leave him tied up there to desiccate for a week!" she snapped.

"He'd get out within a day," Hakim pointed out bluntly while Rasha, quite obviously, was trying to figure out what 'desiccate' meant. The big man smiled and shrugged when Heka's eyes shot him a dirty look.

"True…" she admitted and clenched her fists together in front of her. "The ungrateful bastard."

Rasha and Hakim traded glances at her reasoning but decided it would be safer to hold the their tongues. Mana's curiosity, however, got the best of her. "Heka… you haven't heard from Bakura either?"

Her anger evaporating instantly, like a drop of water spilled onto the ground; the short woman sighed and said, "Not a word. We've had fights before, but he'd always come back in about three days." She gave the men at her side a quick glance and added, "He's got better stamina than these two, I can tell ya that!" They chuckled. "But I'm scared that he'll blow off steam by raiding crypts." Her lovely face darkened as her painted lips twisted into an unbecoming frown. "He goes nuts! He doesn't even take the loot—he just leaves and heads for another grave!"

"That's… bad?" Mana asked, her brows rising. "That's bad that he doesn't take the treasure?"

"Of course it is!" Rasha exclaimed heatedly, jumping forward. "When this guy gets really mad, he takes it out on all the traps and completely disables all of them! Then he leaves to destroy the defenses of another grave, and then another! He can go through at least five before dawn." When he noticed that Mana's confusion had still not cleared, he sighed, "And then some lesser thieves go in the tombs he's disabled and steals all of the gold without any effort at all! Gold that belongs to US!"

Heka slapped his arm. Mana winced. It sounded painful.

"…Gold that belongs to_ him,"_ Rasha corrected himself sheepishly.

Hakim was keen on reminding them, "Well, that's only _one_ of the incredibly stupid things he does. But luckily, he's only done that twice."

Wagging a finger at both of her two companions, Heka said, "But he was _only_ seventeen then! The boy's grown, and he's thought up stupider things to do!"

Mana frowned. "…Stupid, huh?" She was answered with a huffy nod from Heka. "What… What do you think he'll do…?"

"Well, an argument like the one we had wasn't really a big deal. We have them often. We're both pretty hot-headed when determining who's right and who's wrong," the black-haired lady said thoughtfully. "But we did hit a pretty sore topic, so that may be it…"

Cringing at Heka's explanation, Mana said softly, "Actually—actually, I doubt that's the reason you haven't seen him…"

All three of the thieves looked at her incredulously. "Mana?" Hakim asked, becoming concerned by the paleness of the girl's face. "What…d'you mean by that…?" His voice was calm, fatherly. It was comforting to say, at the least. Mana took a deep breath and gave them her account of the story. Their expressions were priceless.

After Mana had finished, Heka sighed dreamily, "My, how romantic."

"'Romantic?'" squeaked Mana, bringing her shoulders up to her ears. She held back her retort for a few moments as she looked down at their feet, abashed. Then, she let them drop back down as she said, "They wanted to kill each other! Master and Bakura are both very strong, and so are their kas! A fight between those two could have ended with both of them losing their lives!"

"Ah—oh!" Heka flushed a dark red. "I'm so sorry—I wasn't thinking when I said that!" she giggled embarrassedly. "But the fact is that they were both willing to fight for you." She leaned closer and whispered so quietly that the men could not hear her speaking, "Which do you think wanted you more?" Mana squeaked again, and Heka laughed, "I'm kidding! I'm kidding!"

That joke was met with a ruffled look. "Geez…" The brunette girl made a face. "But the fact is we still don't know where Bakura went!"

Heka smiled despondently. "He's going to pull some horrific stunt and get hurt; I know he will." She stared at Mana straight in the eye, and with a dead serious voice, she told her, "But chances are, he'll come to see you first. He still cares for you."

"I'm… I'm _sorry."_

"Don't be ridiculous. But I have an idea. Take Bastet, my ka, home with you. Don't worry about other people being able to see it. It's almost _exactly_ like a normal cat," Heka said, holding her hands out in front of her. Mana gaped blankly at them. Amused, Heka said, "You can't see it?"

Shaking her head sheepishly, the young magician-in-training said, "No, I can't even summon my own ka yet."

"That's fine. Bastet can just follow you around until Bakura shows up."

(-)

"_I can see through my ka's eyes. Feel experiences through its senses. I'm sure we'll see Bakura sooner or later."_

Heka's words stayed with Mana as she hurried back to the palace. The afternoon had slipped away much quicker than she had thought. It was already sunset.

_Feel through its senses,_ Mana thought to herself, _I wonder if that's what it'll be like to have a ka. Or is it just her ka's special ability? Both Bakura and Master have those._

She was running as fast as she could—she had definitely missed that two-hour time limit Mahaado had set for her. Now, she would have to endure another one of his long, tedious lectures.

Mana slowed down at the palace entrance and gawked at the commotion. There was yelling. Distressed cries. Guards were everywhere, rushing by her, past her. Had something happened while she was away?

"Hello? Excuse me! Wait, could I—Hey!" Mana tried in vain to find someone to relay to her what had just happened. Just when she found someone to talk to, it seemed that they would suddenly remember their task or realize that they had to go quickly. All the same, no one told her what was going on.

This game went on for several minutes. Mana was beginning to wonder whether the gods _wanted_ her to know what havoc had been created in the royal house.

Finally, she recognized one of Atemu's priests and dashed towards him. "Lord Karim!" she yelled, grabbing a hold of his arm.

"Mana, I apologize, but I'm very busy at the moment—"

"Please tell me! What happened here!"

The holder of the Millennium Scale looked at her intently, as if an internal struggle had suddenly aroused within his mind. "It…" Mana stared. With difficulty, he finished, "…was… Bakura."

"Baku… Bakura?" Mana asked, her hand falling away from his. The expression on her face was pure devastation. Karim frowned, sorry to have been the one to tell her.

His eyes flicked upwards, past her. "Mana?"

"Y-yes, Lord Karim?"

"You cat ran away."

(-)

He burst into the throne room, adorned in stolen gold, dragging the mummified body of the Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen by a rope. He who was so impudent as to challenge the pharaoh and his six priests right then and there for the seven Millennium Items. His ka was so powerful that it overwhelmed the six priests. In the end, the Great Pharaoh had defeated him with the holy force of the god, Obelisk, and had driven him out of the palace.

This was how they had told it to her.

Mana sighed into her pillow. She felt like crying. Heka was right. Bakura _did_ do something stupid. Did he not realize the sacred power Atemu had at his disposal?

_Prince is young, but there's no doubt about it: he's special._ Mana sniffed and sat up, hugging her pillow close to her chest. _But I guess Bakura was serious about the whole Millennium Item deal after all. Oh, gods…_

Everything was happening at such a swift pace. She felt as if she had fallen behind since that night, seven days ago. Nothing was in her control anymore, and try as she might, she could not keep up with everyone else. Why had she not been there when Bakura struck? Then again, what could she have done anyway?

He was probably mad at her.

After all, she was the reason he did not win that battle with Mahaado. Mana glowered at her linen sheets. However, she did not want him to win. Well, she did, but she did not want Mahaado to get hurt, either… Things started to get complicated from there. The brunette fell back with the cushion still clutched tightly to her heart. But right now, it was all she could do to keep from bursting into tears.

_Damn it, Bakura,_ she thought angrily, and rolled over on her stomach. She pushed herself up and hopped off of her bed, her pillow falling to the ground with a 'pouf.' _How could you be so thoughtless?_

She squatted down and picked up the pillow. It was unusually quiet in her room. Mana looked around. She felt lonely and helpless. Mahaado had not spoken to her all evening. Even a lecture from him would have been welcomed.

Words passed from guard to guard spoke of how Lord Mahaado was leaving for the Valley of the Kings again tomorrow. She did not like the sound of that. But there was nothing she could do to stop or protect him.

Maybe she would go see him off.

Mana wished Bastet had stayed with her. She felt immense sympathy for Heka, Hakim, and Rasha. She blinked. Maybe Heka was still right here. "Hello? Anybody there? Here kitty, kitty, kitty," she whispered, trying to focus on the flow of magic in the room. Where was it coming from? Well, there was a tremendous amount of _ba_ at the window.

The window?

"Do I look like a blasted cat to you?" Mana inhaled sharply and jumped up, pushing her pillow against her mouth to keep the gasp muffled. The room was dark. A square of moonlight brightened a patch of floor at her feet. A dark shadow covered it. Mana looked up to the window to see a blackened silhouette hunched over the frame. "Long time no see, huh?"

Her mouth moved soundlessly as Bakura climbed into the room.

The pillow smacked into his face with another 'pouf.'

Bakura caught it as it fell from his head. "What, run out of vases?" he asked her wryly. He tossed the pillow aside.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed at him, taking a step forward. She did not dare take another. Bakura changed. Again. He was more foreboding than ever. The dark aura around him had grown once more. Mana felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"The King of Thieves can go wherever he wishes," he told her, the corners of his mouth twitching up in a smirk. Biting her lower lip, Mana could only shake her head as she stared at him in disbelief. Bakura raised his eyebrows and chuckled sinisterly at her. "Didn't you miss me?"

"I… I…" Mana stuttered, feeling tongue-tied about her own feelings. They were so hard to sort out, but it was easier to talk about someone else. "Heka was right! You _did_ do something stupid!" she cried, stamping a foot on the ground. She blushed at her immature mannerism, but it was too late to undo her actions now.

A strange grin appeared on Bakura's face, half hidden by the darkness of the room. "I was going to do attack them eventually anyway."

Clucking exasperatedly at his answer, Mana shot back, "How could you do this to yourself?" She swung a hand at him, but he caught it before it could connect with his face. The girl did not waver. "You could have been normal! You could have just left Egypt and run off to Nubia or wherever you had planned to go! You wouldn't have been hurt. By the king—by Obelisk!" She glared at him, distress increasing as she spoke. "Why?"

"Because I want to," Bakura told her with a smirk. "I've wanted to kill all of them since I was a child. I've wanted to murder those monsters who massacred my village. I wanted to see them suffer." His fingers tightened around her wrist, making her cringe. His smile grew. "I want those Millennium Items, Mana. I want their lives."

"But—but half of them don't even know what had happened to Kuru Eruna until a few weeks ago!" Mana whispered angrily, her other hand lashing out at him. He grabbed this one, too. "And I'm sure they'd be sorry—"

"They must have forgotten because they didn't believe me when I announced it to them this afternoon," he interrupted her. "Or they just felt it was necessary to deny the dark past behind the Millennium Items. Both decisions are punishable in my book."

"Well, you were on bad terms with them!" Mana retorted and yanked back, but to no avail. "And what did you expect them to do when you burst into the palace, dragging King Akhenamkhanen behind you like some rejected camel? Hear you out calmly and then invite you to the pharaoh's next birthday party as an apology?"

Bakura ignored Mana's struggles as he replied hotly, "It doesn't matter what they think of me because I don't care. You know why? Because all I want are _those Items._ Oh look, we're back where we started. How pointless was that?"

"Do you… know what—what's… what's pointless?" Mana asked, trying to free her hands. "Everything! We go… through all this, and—and—geez!" Mana pulled, but Bakura was not letting go.

The thief laughed. "My thoughts exactly."

Mana sighed, aggravated, and gave up her ineffectual efforts to break away. "So that's what this whole thing was," she said quietly and looked up at him; she could not help but feel hurt. Try as she might, it was impossible to hide her broken feelings, but she refused to look away from him. She scowled. "It was all for nothing. We truly might as well have never met."

"…"

Bakura leaned forward and kissed her. At first, alarm drenched Mana like a jump into the Nile. Her heart was beating furiously; fear and surprise nearly deluged her.

But then she kissed him back. She could was suddenly conscious of him. His hand cradling her cheek. His mouth against hers. His kiss was rough—Mana did not expect any less from the most notorious brigand in Egypt—but it was not painful. It was warm with a hint of melancholy to it.

His lips moved away from hers, brushing against cheek, finally stopping at her ear. "Too bad we already have." He breathed softly as Mana's eyes widened at his words: "But that doesn't change my goal. To get those Items, I _will_ kill the pharaoh and his priests. And if you get in my way…" His hand slid from her face down her neck and grasped her shoulder, his nails digging into her skin. _"I'll kill you, too." _He let go.

The pale-haired bandit straightened back up. "So you're right. Because when we meet again, we will be enemies." He smiled balefully at the look on the girl's face. "As a thief, I really don't own a lot," he said wistfully, although a little scathingly to Mana. Bakura turned around and headed back to the window he entered from. "So it was nice to have you… while it lasted." He looked back over his shoulder and held a fist up to his profile.

The poor apprentice was suffering from aphasia again. She just blinked, her mouth moving without a sound exiting.

"I think I'll take this," Bakura said, unclenching his fist so that something small and white fell from his hand. It dangled by a string held by his thumb and index finger.

The thread shook gently at the weight of the little alabaster heart.

Mana looked down immediately, and sure enough, the bargain-price necklace she had bought at the bazaar was gone. All that rested on her collarbone was the golden necklace she always wore. Her hand slid from its cold metallic surface to the small, shallow marks on her shoulder. She looked up.

Bakura had already left.

(-)

The afternoon was sunny; one came to expect that when living in Egypt. But something about this day was tense and anxious. The air was dry, the uneasiness could crush a person, but everyone kept their discomfort to themselves. Today was a dreadful day, despite Ra's jolly sunshine.

As Mahaado walked towards the palace exit with a group of guards, he could not help but notice one of the many pots lining the walkway. He motioned for the soldiers to keep going, but he himself changed direction and headed for the clay pot. True, it was no different from all the others. It was the exact same size. It was the exact same color. It was exactly identical to the ones at its sides and so forth.

But there was a reason he stopped at _this_ one.

"Mana," he said, folding his arms across his chest. "I know you're in there."

The pot giggled softly in reply.

"You can't hide from me."

At last, the blue-eyed girl poked her head out of the pot. "You're right…" she said sheepishly and smiled.

Mahaado placed his hands on the rim of the pot. Mana laughed nervously and sank back down. "Listen—"

"Oh, I know what you're going to say," she exclaimed, leaping up and snatching the headdress off her teacher's head. She replaced her own head ornament with his as she spoke so very sternly, "'Mana, what about your lessons?'" Then, she switched them again, turning back to her lively self in the process, and she continued, "And then I'll say, 'I can worry about that later, Master!'" She switched once more, the serious look on her face reappearing. "'Mana, how can you ever expect to be a magician with that approach to learning?'"

"…Really now," Mahaado glanced around, and then returned his attention to her. "That was…an amusing, yet accurate, reenactment of many of our conversations."

The student blushed. "Too much, huh?"

"Yes, you almost had me believing there was absolutely nothing wrong with you… until now," Mahaado told her evenly, combing a hand through his own light brown hair. "You're quite the actress."

With relief, Mana allowed her face to take on a poignant expression. She said, "Okay well, you can't tell me there's nothing wrong with you, either, Master!" She stared down at her hands, her fingers toying with the shell that held the gold structure of her visor together. "I mean, you've been avoiding me for a while…" When she got no answer from her mentor, she looked back up. "Master? Oh, you want this back, right?" she asked, pulling Mahaado's headpiece off.

He blinked and patted his hand on her head. "I've always wanted to see you in a priest's headdress." He kneeled down beside the pot and rested an arm on the rounded edge. "I would have also liked to see you with a Millennium Item, too, but that time has not come yet."

"_Master…"_ Mana said irately, like a child who was asking a favor for the umpteenth time. She knelt down, too, her face half concealed behind the pot as her fingers clamped over the rim tightly. Her eyes peered at him questioningly. "What are you talking about? You're just going to inspect the tombs again, today, aren't you?"

Mahaado smiled calmly and let his forehead fall against hers. "Of course. That is my duty."

Mana pushed back, saying firmly, "You're planning something." Their brown bangs mingled as the tips of their noses touched. Their blue eyes locked. "You're not going to get hurt, are you? Tell me—"

"Priest Mahaado, there you are." The holder of the Ring abruptly stood up, jerking the headdress off Mana's head.

"As I was saying, Mana, that was immature of you—don't take property of others without their permission," he said rather hastily as he put it back on.

"I'm sorry, Master, I got carried away!" Mana said a little too enthusiastically as she acted out her part quickly, like the good little actress she was.

Simon smiled behind the beige cloth he wore on his face. "I'm amazed that you're able to keep up with her energy, Mahaado."

"Well, my lord, he is a lot young—" The priest covered a hand over Mana's mouth before she could finish.

"Thank you, sir," Mahaado said modestly with a small nod. "Is there something you wished to discuss with me before I left?"

The pharaoh's advisor was quiet. Then, he said carefully, "What you're thinking of doing is dangerous and unnecessary." Mahaado frowned a little at his reprimanding. "To defeat Bakura, we need all of the priests _and_ the pharaoh. You cannot defeat him on your own. His power is too great."

"Bakura's power is great," Mahaado said differentially, "because he has a great amount of hatred in his heart. But it's true that any emotion, when reaching that intensity, can be powerful, is that right?"

Simon and Mana both nodded.

With determination set on his cool features, Mahaado went on, "Perfect. Lately, I've failed the pharaoh far too often. But now, I will not allow more insult to be done against him. With love—devotion—loyalty… Those positive emotions can combat Bakura's dark power any day. I will gladly wager my own life with those odds."

"Master…" Mana stared at him despondently. _Oh gods, no. He can't be thinking about…_

"If that is what you desire to do, Mahaado, I cannot stop you," Simon said solemnly.

Mahaado gave the old man a slight bow and turned away. "I'll be leaving now," he said, hurrying back to his soldiers.

When he had left, Mana leapt out from the pot. "Lord Simon, don't doubt him!" Simon backed away as she advanced on him. Her composure had left her. She seemed like a little girl, vulnerable and afraid. "Master Mahaado's magic is a lot more powerful than he lets on. He uses it to seal the dark power from the Ring, so what you see now is only a fraction of his true power!" Simon noticed a hint of desperation in her shaking voice. "The only reason Bakura had the upper hand during their Duel was because I didn't want him to… to…" Mana stopped there and stared at him, hard. Then, she broke eye contact. "Forgive me, I've been disrespectful…"

How could she say it? Her feelings were too complicated and too mixed up to say aloud. She was too indecisive. It was because she could not leave Egypt that Bakura had stayed. It was because she could not choose between Bakura and Mahaado that they had to fight. Or was it because she _did_ choose? It had not mattered anyway. Bakura had said so himself that his sole purpose was to get those Millennium Items.

Then why had he come back to see her?

And what of Mahaado?

This one, Mana could answer easily by herself: he was going to end the battle he and Bakura started.

"Mana, I can see that this entire incident has been a nightmare for you," Simon said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But don't despair. Years from now, you may be able to look back on it and smile. You've had quite an adventure."

Bobbing her head up and down slowly in a forced nod, Mana stared at his hand and sighed. Although Simon did not completely understand what she was going through, it was true. In a mere three weeks, she had fallen in love with Egypt's greatest criminal. And love was a fickle thing. But no matter what decision she could have made before this moment—before this entire tribulation, actually… She realized it would not have mattered.

Bakura would still end up where he started no matter how much time passed; he would seek vengeance for his slaughtered village. And Mahaado would do his best to keep Bakura from succeeding. If a scribe recorded this down into history, she doubted all the emotions she went through would be written down and preserved for centuries—millennia.

Fate could be cruel or kind, depending on the perspective. Fate could smile down upon you and shower you with good fortune and happiness. Fate could cleave the pounding heart from your breast and walk away as you bled and cried.

There was no point in crying. Mana could weep all she wanted to now, but she knew the tears would return again the next day, no matter what the outcome of the Duel between the priest and thief was. She would lose someone she loved, but she felt like she had lost him already. Neither of the two men would return to her the way he had left her.

The apprentice of Priest Mahaado looked up with a resolute expression on her face. "Yes, you're right, Lord Simon."

Nothing was in her control anymore. It never was. Whatever choice she could have made meant nothing to Fate. Fate would move forward never slowing or speeding, as the gods willed it to. The Duel between Mahaado and Bakura was inevitable, as will the day that Bakura and Atemu will eventually fight.

"What happens now will be sewn into the fabric of time forever. Years later, I will look back to this moment." Mana looked around at the palace until her eyes fell on the gate entrance. "Memories change. History does not."

* * *

Anime writing a depressing ending to a fanfic? That's a first…

I received plenty of reviews asking me to keep the Bakura x Mana pairing (though I am just a little suspicious that some were by the same person ;P). But unfortunately, I already had the ending down… And even in my summary, I said that it would be Mana x Mahaado by the end of the fic. Well, to make a compromise, I had Bakura kiss Mana. There we go. …And now I don't know which pairing this fic ended with. Philtershipping or Apprenticeshipping. (I luff Mahaado and the M x M pairing anyway. But… after finishing _The Stolen Heart_, I've come to really like Philtershipping. Agh, bad Anime-2000. XD I know…)

I do not plan on making a sequel because 1) I'm too brain-dead to think of one, and 2) the story continues into Takahashi's original plot. You want more Philtershipping fanfics, _you_ can write them! Just _please_ e-mail me or something if you do decide to post it!

On a random note, during the Duel, I felt as if I were writing a Pokemon battle. Diabound—Spiral Wave! Illusionist Mage—dodge and counter! Pikachu—Thunderbolt!

**Readers, thank you so much for taking some of your time to read this fanfic! Leave a review, please. Anime loves you all! Seeya 'round!**


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